Finding Home
by VioletIvoire
Summary: She needed to keep her children by her side. Just how far will Scarlett go to do that?
1. The Escape

_I can't believe I've written a Gone with the Wind fanfic! Just a warning to everyone…I find it hard to keep everyone in character (^.^')…In fact, this whole story is about how Scarlett changes so she is most definitely not going to be the same canon Scarlett everyone knows and reads about. I hope you all can bear with me!_

 _I hope you all enjoy the story if you choose to keep reading from here (^.^)_

… _I also don't own the characters…except the ones I made up…and the plot…_

o.O.o

 _ **The Escape**_

O.o.o.O.o.o.O

There was a peacefulness that settled over her after Dr. Meade's visit.

She was happy.

It had been too long since she felt the fullness of this kind of peace and happiness. The last time she felt this was when Baby was born, her younger sister. Her Papa had her on his lap and hugged her with a quiet joy.

Mrs. O'Hara had a hard pregnancy with Careen. So many problems had troubled her throughout, that Mrs. O'Hara declared Careen her last. Mr. O'Hara whole-heartedly agreed with his wife. To lose her because of her desire for a boy, an heir for Tara, would be the same as losing his heart. He happily settled for his three daughters, just as Scarlett would settle for this one child with Rhett. This one would be her little secret to keep from her husband.

Rhett had taken Bonnie from her as soon as their daughter was born. Her husband had proved himself to be a scoundrel of the lowest sort when he laid an unfair claim as the dominant recipient of Bonnie's heart. He readily separated mother and child, taking a part of Scarlett's heart in the process.

"Will he take this one away too?" Scarlett paused, a cold fear gripping her heart. Suddenly the thought of losing another child to her husband's selfishness was hard for her to bear. She could be selfish too, she knew she was _very_ selfish, but the thought of Rhett taking this one away too…oh the tears at such a loss!

After her Pa's terrible accident, she locked herself in his study and cried for hours, it was there that she promised herself that she would not put her own heart into a situation that would cause such heartache.

…But she had…

She wanted to call out for her Mammy, but she knew how bullheaded the woman would be and swiftly talk her out of her hastily made up plan. Which was why she needed someone completely separated from her everyday life. Her face darkened with an idea, and it would most likely take every bit of charming she could subtly manage, and even an apology to get this person to comply.

o.O.o

Darkness had fallen so quickly while Scarlett ran her errands. It had taken her a few long minutes to completely pin her hair up in a style that was so out of fashion, people passing her on the streets did not take the time stop to think about who they gave their barest of greetings to as they crossed ways. The dress she chose was so severely out of date, that if not for the thick black crepe veil, she would have been embarrassed to been seen in it. The mourning clothes did their job though, and most people sent pitying looks her way, it was only the braver who greeted the unknown woman in mourning cloths in Atlanta.

She forced herself to wait nearly an hour till the last candle was put out in the home before she moved toward the window she had been watching from her darkened corner behind the shed. She had been mightily lucky that none of the servants had business out back this day.

As Scarlett lightly knocked on the window her confidence suddenly left her.

' _What am I doing?_ ' She screamed at herself. ' _She would never agree to a plan such as this. She is going to use it as revenge and then Rhett will find out everything_!" Before she had a chance to turn away and hide, the window opened and a half scream was stifled before Scarlett hastily threw back her veil and shushed the woman.

"You are the-!" Scarlett shushed her again.

"If you follow me, I promise I will make everything worth your while." She could not say her words were an empty promise, but she would go through with it if it was in her power to do so.

"Why should-" Scarlett shushed her again, but the stubborn woman was becoming agitated. Scarlett looked up at her pleadingly with her watery green eyes, and the woman finally relented.

"At least let me call my maid," the woman finally said in a whisper.

"No," Scarlett refused. "Please, this all counts on discretion. No one can know." The woman paused.

"You are not going to kill me, are you?" She asked seriously. Scarlett gave a wry laugh.

"I promise with my blackened heart that your life is safe from me." The woman gave a stiff nod in acceptance. "Come out," Scarlett offered her hand and the woman reluctantly accepted the help climbing out of her window. Scarlett unclasped her dark cloak and placed it over the woman's shoulders. "I will not allow you to catch a chill now."

"What are we doing?" The woman asked with a little surprise as to Scarlett's and her own reactions.

"Perhaps its providence," Scarlett quietly murmured, "or perhaps you may still be half asleep and I am just tired from everything. We must hurry now; the night is short and we must not be seen." She took the woman's pale hand and quickly pulled her through the back alleys toward her own home.

"I cannot believe I am doing this. I cannot believe I am doing this," the woman kept repeating until Scarlett shushed her and they hid in a darkened alley. Scarlett looked over at her companion and pulled the hood of the cloak over her blond curls just before a patrol guard passed.

Not ten minutes later the two were looking up at Scarlett's bedroom balcony, and her companion was refusing to climb the ladder Scarlett had hidden in the bushes below. Scarlett was becoming impatient and her companion was beginning to show signs of her bitterness and hatred toward Scarlett.

"I am glad to have thought of a second plan then," Scarlett tried not to sound too harsh toward the woman. They moved to the side and she opened a window in the study. Earlier she managed to find some cooking oil without asking any servants for it, and oiled the frame so it would open easily and quietly if needed.

"We must be careful," Scarlett's whisper was very soft, her companion almost missed it while Scarlett was busy removing her shoes. "Mammy sleeps very light."

"What do you think you are doing?" India practically yelled as soon as Scarlett's bedroom was locked. Scarlett hurriedly shushed her again while looking at the door frantically. The two heard quiet footsteps pause at the door. After a few moments of tense silence, they retraced their steps. Not a few seconds later, she ushered India Wilkes into her dressing room and sat her at the vanity table's bench.

She was just so tired, that she began pulling dresses off their racks and buried herself into them after making a comfortable nest.

"Are you finally losing your mind?" India asked. Scarlett looked up at her and laughed. She found one of her night robes and offered it to the woman in lieu of the heavy cloak.

"I have a proposition," Scarlett finally said after a few moments. "I can either make you a rich guardian over my son and daughter's inheritance, or I can take you on an adventure with us."

"What makes you think I want anything to do with your children or your blood money?" India asked scathingly. Scarlett tried not to retort as she usually would. "I can hardly think of a reason why you pulled me out of bed, you have been a black plague in my family-"

"I married Charles because he was an ideal," Scarlett interrupted. "I courted images of fair-haired children forever up to that point-"

"And you still do because you are in love with my brother," India snarled.

"I hate your brother!" Scarlett retorted, and quickly covered her mouth as tears gathered in her eyes from her realization. "I thought he was everything a gentleman should be, but every time I see him he just proves how weak he is to Society's whims. I have more admiration for you because you stand up to people on your own opinions.

"You start rumors, albeit about me mostly, you slay rumors before they even start. You are as willfully strong as Melanie, you refuse to bow down to anyone as your brother can only do. Not _once_ in our entire friendship has he put his foot down on any matter, and me, stupid Katie Scarlett, was too blinded by the ideal gentleman," she paused in her rant to take in everything.

"How dare you speak of Ashley this way!" India looked as though she was physically ready to attack Scarlett, but held back because the she-devil actually admired her. _Her_!

"We all heard the rumors, India," Scarlett spoke quietly. India paled after she realized what Scarlett was going on about. "We were all each other had back then in Clayton County. We stuck together like family," she said fiercely. "When I heard…oh it was horrible! The liberties those _Yankees_ took with us." She looked up at the faint woman. "I killed one you know," she whispered. "Not a day after the rumor spread. Those horrible grey eyes still haunt me sometimes," she continued on explaining every detail about that man until India cried out.

"Stop!" She cried weakly. "I never told anyone about him after my attack! How did you know? How?" She demanded. Scarlett looked up at her with her sharp green eyes.

"Ashley is still a dear childhood friend," she said harshly. "We still played together as children, me and you. I just wanted to hurt the Yankee before he hurt me, and I knew I would most likely be taking revenge for a friend who I never valued and never valued me in return. We were all so close then, we took, we traded from each other...we gave," Scarlett looked tired as she said this.

"Why are you bringing this up now?" India asked. "You know you can use this to ruin me."

"Why?" Scarlett asked. "What good would that have done? I am where I am supposed to be. I am a selfishly vain creature. You know it as does everyone else."

"Then why?" India asked again.

"I want to give you something I have not even been able to give myself until now," Scarlett said.

"And what is that?" The stunned woman asked.

"I want to either give you an allowance for being a guardian for Wade and Ella's inheritance, any money you gain could help you finally find happiness in a marriage, or as I said, I can take you on an adventure and hopefully along the way you will still find happiness," Scarlett explained.

"I have not a head for business," India said with a downturn of her lips.

"I can leave a note for Rhett to hire a good bookkeeper," Scarlett suggested.

"Your husband is not going with you?" India asked with slight interest.

"That is where the adventure comes into play," Scarlett said with sudden tears. "I cannot lose another baby to him," she whispered. "He stole Wade away from me a few years ago, it hurt so much to have my baby boy ripped away from my side so suddenly. Then he comes back smiling and laughing as if my feelings toward _my son_ are nothing! And then Bonnie, my precious Bonnie," she breathed back her tears. "I rarely had a chance to hold her after her birth. He stole away her heart and left nothing for me.

"I am in the family way," she said to the silent woman. "I have to leave in a few hours to be on the train before dawn. If Rhett finds out about this child, he will not leave my side until he is born and then he will take my baby away just like he did with Bonnie," she started crying again. "I have to leave and he can never find out!"

"You want us to run away together?" India breathed out in astonishment. "Why me?"

"I think together we can find happiness outside of Atlanta," Scarlett whispered.

"What is your plan?" The blonde asked.

"You will be a war widow," Scarlett said. "Wade is your nephew and you are his guardian. Our sister died soon after learning of our Brother-in-law's death after the war. With your blonde hair and my green eyes, Wade can pass us off as sisters. Our family is in mourning after learning of my husband's death off of the West India coast."

"Where are you planning to go?" India enquired.

"I will not say," Scarlett said. "I can easily change my story if you choose not to come." The dressing room was quiet nearly five minutes before India spoke again.

"You really want to offer me this?" She asked almost timidly.

"Yes," Scarlett. "For another selfish reason," she admitted.

"What is the reason this time?" India asked warily.

"When I start acting like my usual strong-headed, pushy, vain self, you can easily admonish me, and help me to act different," Scarlett said.

"That sounds like a fun adventure," India smirked.

The two companions found a sliver of peace with each other that had never been there. It was the beginning of a tentative friendship that would grow to be unbreakable by any outside forces. Even the chaotic force of Rhett Butler.

It took most of the night for the two women to gather most of Scarlett's jewelry and sewed into the hems of several of Scarlett's old mourning dresses with some currency wrapped around each piece. They dawned two dresses before stealing away from the still sleeping house, and a sleeping Mammy who slept away the night when the children were woken up to dress also.

"What are we doing Mama?" Ella asked with wide eyes. Scarlett tried not to be discouraged at the fear in them.

"We are playing a game," Scarlett put on a playful smile. "We are going to leave without waking anyone up. If you wake up Mammy, then you lose!" She whispered. Only Wade seemed suspicious of the game, but allowed his Aunt India to help him into his black clothes. Any ideas escaped him on why she was there because she and his mom never got along in anything.

"Are there rules?" Wade silently challenged his Mother in a pique of bravery. Scarlett was slightly taken back, but she turned to Ella and smiled.

"We must pretend that we do not know anyone if we are caught!" She whispered enthusiastically and she placed the crepe veil over her daughter's head. "There! Now you are dressed just like me," Scarlett smiled charmingly at her daughter and Ella could only smile back.

The small family was able to manage a quiet exit from the house. Scarlett could not help but look back and almost cared not if she turned into a pillar of salt. She nearly cried at the loss of her second Tara. The walk to the train station was wearying for all, and nearly halfway Ella had started falling asleep on her feet. Scarlett held her little girl on her hip and lay her head on her shoulder as they walked.

"Where are we going, Scarlett?" India whispered.

"West," Scarlett replied.

The train had just pulled in when they entered the station. The conductor greeted the small group with a small polite bow as he exited a little way down the platform and helped down two passengers. Ella opened her eyes and gasped, causing Scarlett to slightly turn. She paled at the passenger who took time to notice the small family.

"Mama-" Ella started, but Scarlett quietly shushed her, and India swiftly covered Wade's mouth to stop him from calling out to his step-father. India had enough presence of mind to usher the group onto the train before the quick-minded man could see through their disguises.

Rhett Butler was bone tired. His little angel had cried every day for her Mother. Traveling home tired him more because he traveled all night to be home by morning so his little beauty could wake up to the parent she had cried out for all three months of their 'vacation'.

The sound of his daughter's voice turned his head as they stepped onto the platform and he turned to find his little Ella, but found a family in mourning instead. The silhouette of one of the women looked familiar. The light creeping into the darkness as the morning grew was hardly enough to help him see through the fabric of her veil, and the bonnet and veil covering the child kept him from seeing the face of the girl.

"Mama," his little Bonnie whimpered, stealing away his attention from the small family. He sighed and looked up to find them already boarded onto the train, and steeled himself for a long walk home with the lightweight in his arms that grew heavier every few paces.

"Bonnie," Scarlett cried when the door to their private cabin had been firmly shut by the conductor.

"Mother," Wade whispered in alarm.

"Sh-she was right there," Scarlett said with unseeing eyes and she lingered on the image of her baby girl sleeping on her father's shoulder. "I could have-"

"There was nothing you could have done," India said firmly. "Your husband is swift and strong, and we would definitely not be sitting here if you had tried to pluck her from his arms."

"But she was right there!" Scarlett's voice hitched on a slight wail. She started shaking slightly with unshed tears. "My baby, oh my baby," she said with her eyes hidden in her daughter's dark bonnet. Even now her baby girl was heading home, and here she was stealing away from it.

It seemed her mourning clothes reflected her heart's suffering perfectly.

o.O.o

 _So…I'm not sure what colour Wade's eyes are supposed to be…I think blue like his father's? ...but for the sake of this fic they're going to be green like Scarlett's…_

 _Nearly forgot!...This story is finished...there's 9 chapters altogether...Cheers!_


	2. The Discovery

_This chapter we get to spend some time with our handsome Captain and sweet Melanie (^.^)_

 _Please keep in mind that I do deviate from the canon characters, and I do admit that I made a few faux pas and kept them that way when I realized I did that…I wanted them to be a reflection of how I think Rhett would really feel…_

 _I hope you enjoy this chapter despite my gaffes *Nervous laugh*_

* * *

 _ **The Discovery**_

O.o.o.O.o.o.O

He briefly considered knocking on his own front door and nearly laughed at the absurdity. But how else was he to enter his house? He had not a key, it stayed with his luggage that was to be brought to the house later, if he chose to stay at all. He might just leave his Bonnie for a few days and then come back home when Scarlett would be calmer.

On a whim, he tried the door knob and was surprised when the door gave. Had a servant been lax in their nightly duties? With darkening visions, he could imagine why the door had been left unchecked while he was away from home. He had half a mind to storm up the stairs and wake his _dear_ wife from her _lovely_ little dreams.

He was standing in Scarlett's bedroom ready to give her his opinion on her little escapades, but to his unpleasant surprise her bedroom was lacking her presence.

'So, she had been the one sneaking out,' he thought viciously. He opened the nursery door to deposit his sleeping child next to her sister but the scene froze him. His children's night gowns were strewn haphazardly on the floor, and their beds were empty. The nursery maid would hardly dare to leave the room in such a state.

"Have they been kidnapped?" He asked aloud, fear suddenly shot through him. He had many enemies. Anyone of them could have come to take their revenge on him. Suddenly the thought of leaving Scarlett unprotected had his heart squeezing with tension and pain. He hurried to her bedroom and looked more closely.

Most of her jewellery was gone. Her dressing room was left open and he peeked inside to find her dresses strewn about the floor and cried out.

"Papa?" Bonnie asked quietly, and looked around. "Mama!" She yelled when she realized they were finally home and her Mama was just within reach, but her Papa refused to let her go, he was squeezing her so tight and shaking.

"Mista Rhett!" Mammy exclaimed and stopped short when she took in his countenance. She almost asked why before she noticed her Scarlett's empty bed. "Ma lam'?" She asked with confusion, and moved towards the dressing room where Rhett still held a struggling Bonnie and looked as if his world had been torn apart.

"Miz Katie!" Mammy screamed as she looked into the dressing room, just like she used to when her little lamb was a troublesome child. "Scarlett?" She rushed toward the nursery, followed by the Captain, and threw open the door. She nearly screamed, but instead turned ashen and held her chest.

"Mammy!" Rhett called out when he realized her heart was failing her. He hastily put Bonnie on Ella's bed and called for a maid and moved Mammy down the hall to his room.

"Mammy?" Bonnie whimpered in fright.

Rhett sent James to fetch Doctor Meade immediately and then to fetch the Constable after he called at the doctor's home. He paced his study while the maids helped make Mammy comfortable and noticed that the room seemed unusually drafty. Scarlett always made sure to keep the room comfortable since she also used it during his absences.

Within a few moments, he found the source and noticed the crack at the bottom and the loose latch. Someone had used the window?

"Mr. Butler," he heard Doctor Meade knock at the open door. "I have finished seeing to your Mammy as you have requested, but I also called to leave some more instructions for Mrs. Butler."

"Instructions?" Rhett asked quickly. "Is she sick? How?" He fired off. The doctor was barely given a chance to answer and the Captain only stopped when James announced a Constable Mortimer Whitney. He only hoped the Constable's Christian name was not a prelude to things to come.

"I hope to not have interrupted your own interrogation," the Constable said with a little joviality.

"No. Yes," Rhett could not decide on which it was. "I called because when I got home this morning my wife and children were missing, I have a servant upstairs whose heart has nearly failed her when she discovered the same, and my study is drafty," he added. "The room is never drafty and this damn window latch may be loose, but I know Scarlett would have seen to it if it was," he paused to gain control of himself. That woman seemed to cause him to lose his composure at the worst times.

"Let me look at it while you tell me about your wife," the Constable suggested carefully.

"I want to know what Doctor Meade knows about my wife!" Rhett scowled at the man.

"I refuse to violate my patient's rights-" the doctor started, but Rhett growled low in his throat and nearly startled both men.

"I am her _husband_. I have _every_ right to know about my _wife_ ," he carefully emphasized each word.

"He is right," Constable Whitney said. "As Mrs. Butler's husband he has every right to know about her medical history. This latch is not loose," he said. "The window was either left unlocked or was unlocked from the inside. See the wood," he pointed out to the two men. "It has been oiled recently, so either it has been a tough window, or someone left it oiled it so it would not make a sound while opening."

"Someone used it to sneak in," Rhett said, looking around the office and temporarily forgetting about the doctor.

"I cannot confirm or dismiss that at this moment," the Constable said. "Why do you not show me the rest of the house?" He suggested.

"I believe I will show you upstairs first," Rhett said, leading the men to the nursery. "I have asked the maid not to clean," he showed the men in.

"Is anything else out of place?" The Constable asked.

"Miss Kennedy had a new doll," the doctor said. "She showed it to me yesterday. It is not here."

"And how would you her doll was new?" Mr. Butler asked harshly. The doctor glared back at the man.

"Your wife had a new shipment at her store. Your step-daughter said it was ordered for her especially, and it had just come in that morning," he explained. "After I chatted with her for a few minutes I saw to your wife and confirmed that she is with child," Doctor Meade deftly delivered the unexpected blow.

Rhett nearly lost his balance at those words.

"It seems that her morning sickness is harsher on her this time," the doctor continued, taking a slight joy in the man losing his composure once again. Doctor Meade had no respect for the scoundrel. He had encouraged the former Miss O'Hara's downfall in Atlanta's society, and took delight in casting his own wife down in the eyes of everyone while building himself up. The young woman had always bordered propriety and was tolerated, but with the guiding hand of Rhett Butler she completely threw all conventions as chaff in the wind and was subsequently snubbed at nearly every turn.

"She has been having trouble keeping anything down and was nearly bedridden because of a fainting spell that came upon her at the store yesterday afternoon," the doctor took silent joy in the fact that the man before him felt the pain of his absence from his household. "I was able to determine that Mrs. Butler is nearly three months along." Doctor Meade looked at the Constable and asked, "Is there anything else that you might need from me?"

"I think I have all the statement that I need form you concerning the Mistress and her children in this house," Constable said as he finished writing. He let people assume that he was too taken with writing details, as Doctor Meade and Captain Butler had done. The doctor thought the Constable completely missed his silent byplay and the underlying digs in his words.

"Please show me to your wife's room," Constable Whitney suggested. "I think you may be helpful in this matter, doctor, since you visited only yesterday." He turned away and noticed the husband glare at the doctor's back as he exited the nursery and led the way to the Mistress's bedroom.

Very Interesting.

"Mrs. Butler's bed has not been turned down," Doctor Meade said, looking straight at Mr. Butler. The man looked ready to pounce so the Constable quickly chimed in.

"What makes you say so?" He asked.

"It is still slightly wrinkled in the same spot where she laid when I examined her," the doctor said. Rhett charged at the man, but the Constable held him back.

"What are you trying to say, hmm?" Mr. Butler snarled. Doctor Meade stood up to the tall man and had to slightly tilt his head up, but glared fiercely.

"I do not like you," he said gruffly. "You have ruined your wife, cast her down for everyone else to spit upon and gossip about while you only have to dust yourself off and everyone looks upon you favourably. Do you know how much I hate calling your wife Mrs. Butler?" He asked. "I delivered her upon her birth, I watched that child grow up, and I watched _you_ ruin her. Me! Her Godfather!"

"So, you sit back and listen while your wife is a part of the gossip that tears _mine_ to shreds?" Rhett yelled, yet he was inwardly shocked at that revelation.

"Ever since my sons perished in the war my wife has become a harridan of the worst sort," Doctor Meade suddenly looked old, and he sat at the edge of his Goddaughter's bed. "I have done everything I could to temper her, short of casting the mother of my sons out of my own home."

The doctor was worried and tired.

"Katie's jewellery box has been moved," he noted aloud. "From here I can tell that her dressing room is in disarray, and I know her Mammy would have fussed at her until she cleaned it herself."

"Is the balcony door always kept open?" Constable Whitney asked.

"Not during this time of the year," Rhett answered. The Constable opened it fully and the three men instantly took notice of the ladder resting in the iron rail.

"If Katie Scarlett is suffering because of your foolishness, I will personally call you out for Gerald," Arthur Meade said. "I may be old, but I give you my word I will take you down with me." The Constable exited the manor to search the grounds below the Mistress's balcony at the base of the ladder and looked puzzled for a moment.

"Mr. Butler," he began hesitantly. "Would any members of the female persuasion wish harm on your wife?" Rhett pondered as he studied the marks left in the dirt. One set of marks was plain, as if they had worn plain shoes, the prints were too small to be claimed by a man, and the second prints boasted a set of heels with the same length. He followed them around to the other side of the house and they stopped under the study window.

"I cannot be too sure," Mr. Butler finally said.

"Not one of your _ladies_ wishes to usurp your wife?" Doctor Meade asked pointedly. Rhett stiffened at the jab.

"Despite rumours among the town, I have never been unfaithful to my wife in any way," he replied with a glare. "I admit that I did spend nights at Madame Watling's establishment, but I assure you I spent those nights in her office working on her ledgers and sleeping at her desk," he unconsciously twitched and rubbed at a remembered ache in his neck and shoulder. "What about your wife?" He turned the question "We all know she would just _love_ Scarlett to be gone."

"I cannot speak for my wife," Doctor Meade sniffed with an upturned nose. "But I can assure you that her feet are not as dainty at these seem to be."

"It seems as though the window was used as an entry," Constable Whitney said. The three had already noticed the scuff marking the side of the Butler home. "There is a bit of dirt here," he noticed some on the window ledge. "Nothing missing but jewellery," he murmured to himself. "No clothing articles have been misplaced?" He asked Mr. Butler.

"None of Scarlett's favourites," he said.

"T'is an odd case," the Constable said. "The balcony and window seem to have been entry points, but I do not think the balcony was used at all; that is conjecture on my part. The odd part is that these two venues do not seem to have been used as exits. The persons came from the direction of your garden," he continued, "and they did not go back that way either. There is only missing jewellery and your daughter's doll."

"The front door was unlocked when I came home," Mr. Butler paled. "I completely forgot that until now."

o.O.o

"Good Morning Uncle Peter," Melanie greeted as he set the breakfast table and smiled with a slight bow of his head in return. "Is India not up yet?" She asked.

"Not this mornin'," he answered.

"That is odd," Melanie's brow wrinkled. "India is usually up about the same time I am." She worried because she was late to get up that morning. She headed toward her sister's room and found the air coming under the door too drafty. The gentle woman was overcome with worry. 'What if India caught a cold and we could not hear her call out for anyone?' She asked herself.

Melanie quickly opened the door to make sure her sister-in-law was well and stopped short. India's bed had been slept in, but the sheets were cold and the window was open all the way. She called for the maid and the girl had only been called to help Melanie get dressed that morning.

"Ashley," Melanie called with some confusion. It took a few moments for him to locate her.

"Is something wrong?" He asked.

"India's bed has not been made and her window is open," Melanie said. "Gertie has not been called in to help her get dressed either."

"Perhaps she went for a morning walk," her husband suggested.

"But without an escort?" Melanie asked.

"You know how independent she can be," Ashley shrugged and dismissed himself. Melanie still felt that something was wrong. She took some toast to nibble on and walked towards Scarlett's home, hoping to catch sight India if she did indeed go for a walk, but her stroll yielded no results and something odd was happening on the Butler's front stoop.

"Good morning Captain Butler, Doctor Meade," Melanie greeted with a bright smile. "Scarlett has been most upset since you have left. I hope she is better now that you are here," she said to Mr. Butler.

"Good morning, Mrs. Wilkes," Mr. Butler greeted. "This is Constable Mortimer Whitney."

"Good morning, Constable," Mrs. Wilkes greeted politely. "I hope everything is okay at home," she said to Mr. Butler worriedly, but his expression did nothing to change her opinion. Mr. Butler sighed before answering.

"The morning is growing later. I am afraid I had not the time to take my breakfast, and I am sure I called Doctor Meade too early to take his, would you please join us Mrs. Wilkes?" He asked. "Maybe you can give a sturdy answer to a few of the Constable's questions." He ushered them inside toward the breakfast room.

Melanie only managed to nibble on a few foods while the Captain explained what had been happening since he returned home. Her appetite diminished, and she grew more pale as the men explained.

"I was here a few days ago when Emmy Wilkerson, neé Slattery, came to call on Scarlett," Melanie said. "She was upset that her husband's business had folded, and blamed Scarlett for it. I cannot say if the woman was upset enough to attempt something like this, even something on her own."

"Thank you for the information, Mrs. Wilkes," Constable Whitney said he finished off his breakfast. "I shall excuse myself and take a few men with me to look into this lead."

"Constable," Melanie called before he could exit. "I-I think my sister-in-law is missing also," she confessed and looked quickly at the Captain. He stopped eating and placed his fork down slowly.

"We are usually up around the same time, but this morning I was late," she said with a slight blush, "and India was not up either. I went to check on her, but there was no answer when I knocked, and I felt a cold draft in her room from under her door. I was worried that she might have come down with something and had not been able to call out for help, but when I opened the door her room was empty, the bed had been slept in, and the window was wide open. The maid had not been in to help her dress this morning and my husband excused her because she can be too independent sometimes."

"Have you searched anywhere else for her?" Mr. Butler asked. Melanie nodded. "Did you notice anything missing?"

"I took the long route here because I know it is a favourite of India's but I did not catch sight of her," she answered. Mr. Butler patted her hand reassuringly. "I noticed her slippers were not by her bedside," she said after some thought. "It is odd. Who leaves home without proper footwear?"

"I will send a few of my men out to search for her right away," Mr. Butler said, taking the matter into his hands. Melanie looked relieved and quietly thanked him. "I will send word to you if Miss Wilkes has not been found by lunchtime," he said to the Constable. The man gave him a firm nod, a murmur of thanks, and excused himself once more.

"Mrs. Wilkes," the Captain started. "I have a favour to ask of you. It may be hard for you to help, but I will understand if you refuse to grant it," he said.

"Of course," Melanie said. "I will do what I can," she agreed.

"You are too kind for even considering," Mr. Butler said. "I need to ask if you can stay here in Scarlett's place to care for Bonnie and Mammy. I understand that you have your own household to attend to, and I would not want to separate you from your husband so of course he should accompany you as well. I need someone close to myself and Scarlett to care for Bonnie, you see she is," he cleared his throat to compose himself. "Bonnie has cried every night for her mother, I had to cut my trip short, but now I need to search for Scarlett and my children. I hope that Beau can be a suitable distraction in place of Wade and Ella."

"Mama!" The scream echoed through the house and three people found themselves rushing toward the cry.

"Bonnie?" Rhett rushed to her and held her, but she looked upset with him, and he could not help but smile at her glare.

"Where were you Papa?" She demanded with tears spilling down her rosy cheeks.

"I am sorry love," he cooed. "I did not mean to leave the nursery so dark."

"I don' care about th' dark!" She yelled. "You were mean to Mama and didn' catch her!"

"What do you mean, honey?" He asked, confused.

"You were mean to Mommy on the stairs and didn' catch her when she fell," Bonnie cried and struggled to get away from his hug.

"Come here love," Melanie said gently, and opened her arms for the child. Bonnie looked at her Aunt and ran to her. She soothed her until she fell into a light doze. "I would be happy to help you," Melanie said. "Please expect Beau and me here by dinnertime. It might take a little more to convince my husband though."

"I will happily offer him wages if it helps any," Rhett offered.

"You are too kind, Captain," Melanie said with a soft smile, "but there is no need to."

"Please call me Rhett, if we are to live under the same roof for an extended amount of time," he said.

"Only if you will call me Mellie or Melanie," she smiled.

By lunchtime, it was confirmed that India was not to be found anywhere in Atlanta, which worried her brother and sister. Melanie had enough of her and Beau's clothing packed for an extended stay at the Butler's home. Ashley seemed to be worried and sulking in the drawing room, but he otherwise did not seem to be joining her anytime soon.

Mr. Butler had her bags settled in Scarlett's bedroom against her protest, but he was firm that when Mr. Wilkes came to stay they would enjoy the comfortable room. He had his things removed from his against Mammy's weak protests, and placed in a spare room next to the nursery so he could hear Bonnie when she called on him at night.

Rhett apologized that he would miss dinner on her first evening, but said he had to take care of urgent business and would be taking a late dinner in his room. Melanie was quick to reassure him that her and the staff would manage together, she had been over enough times to know everyone by name and how Scarlett kept her home and she would do her best to keep everything to Scarlett's liking. Rhett relieved Melanie by insisting that she manage the staff her own way instead of Scarlett's. Melanie was hesitant to take his advice, but quickly realized the wisdom in the Captain's advice.

"If you need any help at all, just ask," Rhett said. "I am sorry to be taking you away from your own home, and if you become concerned, just let me know and I will help you resolve it as quickly as possible."

"I will be sure to," Melanie agreed. "I hope this is not too soon, but what about the store and the lumber company?" She asked, hoping she would not have to put her mind to working with the numbers she had seen Scarlett working on every so often. She had not the mind for numbers like her sister did.

"Do not worry about that aspect of Scarlett's duties," Rhett laughed. "I am on my way to the store now to collect that ledger, and tomorrow morning I will be collecting and seeing to the other."

Rhett did go to the store to. He spent well over an hour talking with Scarlett's employees, and looking over a few inventory problems that had crept up that morning and quickly resolved the issue for the store and staff. He made a mental note to keep a close eye on the newest employee, she seemed a bit fidgety.

The last part of his business he deliberately kept from Mrs. Wilkes. The man standing in the drawing room looked a tad unruffled, but also angry when he called unannounced.

"Mr. Wilkes," Rhett greeted with a half smirk.

"Mr. Butler," Mr. Wilkes greeted stiffly.

"You sent your wife alone," Rhett stated, watching the man's fist clench, and his jaw tighten. "I am grateful that she could be spared for an unknown length of time to help me watch my Bonnie in surroundings that are familiar and are a great comfort to my daughter," he deliberately over-elaborated to throw the man off the stride he seemed to be gaining.

"She was firm in her decision," was all Wilkes said.

"As I see you are stubborn in yours," Rhett stated. "I had hoped that you would come along to stop the old cats from their busy gossip. You do seem to follow along on their whims." The man's eyes flared, but he deflated at Mr. Butler's blank stare. "I am here to talk with you about the lumber company."

"I think it best I give my resignation, since it seems the company will be under your control," Mr. Wilkes said.

"I will not accept it," Rhett said simply as he flicked some lint off his sleeve. "I have come to ask your opinions on things which Scarlett tends to ignore."

"What things are they?" the man asked.

"Small things here and there, but all about the type of labour and overseers," Rhett answered. Wilkes held his head in his hand.

"I tried to tell her too many times that the overseers are at times worse than the overseers were back then," he explained. "I even tried to make her remember, but she has those memories locked up so tight that I only managed to make her cry," he confessed. "I do admit that my sister caught me comforting her in her tears. It was only a hug between friends, and she frowned so all the while.

"I should have taken my sister to task for starting those rumours, but I do admit to my own failing at being weak with keeping a firm hand when it comes to India."

"You are weak," Rhett maliciously confirmed. "You are also sly enough to drive a wedge into my own marriage, so I do not believe you to be as much of a pushover most think you are," he said harshly. The man flinched. "I know there is a special pit in hell carved just for me, but you sir. You have one with your name carved into the stone."

"How dare you-"

"How dare I?" Rhett quickly retort. "How dare you, Sir?" He banged his fist down on the table and the man flinched. Rhett snorted. "I have taken the liberty of having James pack most of your things."

"What?" Wilkes asked in confusion.

"You will be going to my home with me to be with your wife," Rhett ignored him. "I refuse to be so low as to ruin Mrs. Wilkes marriage. You should be thankful to be married to such a saint, because I would have ruined you if she were any another woman."

"Scarlett would never have stood for it," Wilkes protested weakly.

"Let us keep between ourselves that there are still many things my dear wife does not know about me, shall we?" The Captain threatened. "Now shut up and get in the carriage, we have business to talk about and you do own a small portion of it."

O.o.o.O.o.o.O

 _I do admit that it was weird to put Melanie and Ashley in Scarlett's room. I hardly think an in-character Rhett would even stand to have Mr. Wilkes living in his home! Let alone sleep in Scarlett's room. But I think Rhett was trying to show Ashley that her room without her in it was the closest Mr. Wilkes is ever going to get to Scarlett intimately…and what better way to rub it in with Melanie's presence there to remind Ashley of his place._

 _And I think someone will notice that I have Rhett think of Wade and Ella as his. The situation has completely worried and stressed him so I think he would actually feel that way even though Wade and Ella are not legally his, and if Scarlett had allowed it, he would have claimed them._

 _I was going to post this on Thursday, but this week is a review/exam week for an online class. So much work! I decided to post this chapter earlier because I know I'll forget to later with my full schedule._

 _The next chapter is going to be Scarlett and India's turn to shine (^.^)_


	3. The Accident

_So…now we get to spend time with Scarlett and how she is faring out West…I hope you all are keeping in mind that my characters are going not be the same as they would be in the movie or book…_

 _Anyway…Hope you all enjoy this chapter!_

* * *

 _ **The Accident**_

* * *

"I cannot believe I let you talk me into this," India hissed and she combed out a snarl her hair. Scarlett finally became frustrated with watching and wrenched the comb from her grip and started working on the knot carefully.

"India," Scarlett said while concentrating on the unrelenting knot. "I am a very impatient person, and your impatience is causing me to be very patient for some reason, and I think we all better pray that this is permanent and not just the mood swings that come with pregnancy. Now, let me explain again.

"Salt Lake City is being called the 'jewel of the desert'. Once we are there we can make a quiet life for ourselves, settle down. I am going to remain the heartbroken widow whose husband left her with child. I had to leave the memories behind in Texas and hope I got over my loss, but I never will," she said quietly. "I am going to make you the jewel of the town. Men are going to flock to see the widow Hamilton, and Wade is sure to be a charmer for his Aunt."

"Why are we doing this?" Wade asked his Mother sleepily. He watched her face fall before she put on one of her masks. He tried his best not to let her see how that hurt him. He was old enough to see how his Uncle Rhett's words hurt his Mother, but he also saw the effect of her words on him. What confused him more was how they hid their love, but he did not think his mom realized she was hiding her love from Uncle Rhett.

"You are old enough to understand I think," Scarlett relented after a tense silence. "Do you remember how mad I was after Rhett brought you home from New Orleans?" She asked. Wade nodded, it was hard to forget how mad or how hard she hugged him when they returned. "Do you know how sad I have been since Rhett took off with Bonnie?" She asked. Of course, Wade also saw how she reacted to having to leave his sister behind. He realized that his Mother most likely reacted the same when Rhett took him to New Orleans. His Mother had missed him.

"Wade," Scarlett said, "You are going to be a brother again."

"Is Uncle Rhett upset?" He asked after a moment. Scarlett shook her head.

"I could not tell him," she confessed her fears to her son. "I did not want to give him the chance to take this baby away too." It was only by some small miracle that he understood enough to take his Mother's fears to heart, and want to protect her. He decided to go along with this 'game' his Aunt and Mother were playing with Ella.

"Are there any Yankees where we are going, Mama?" Ella asked, waking up a little after her brother. Scarlett could only smile.

"That the beauty of being out west," she said to everyone. "Most of these people did not fight, so they are neither Yankees or Confederates."

"Why did you not say so before?" India asked, looking a great deal relieved.

"Mother?" Wade asked quietly. "Since Aunt India should be called Aunt Hamilton, should we not all be someone else also?"

"You are right, Wade," India said thoughtfully. "I think I should be called Lydia Hamilton. The name close to India, that I will not have trouble taking to the name," she said practically.

"I think that I will be Wayne then," Wade said. "Wayne Hamilton."

"I like being Ella," the girl said stubbornly with her arms crossed. Wade tried to convince her to change her mind with one of his boyish smiles, but his sister remained stubborn.

"I think we should call you Elle for short," Scarlett said finally. "You will still be Ella, but we will tell everyone you are Elle."

"I like that, Mommy!" Ella smiled brightly, agreeing with her mother. "What should everyone call you?" She asked.

"I will simply be L," Scarlett answered. "My mother was uneducated and therefore did not know how to spell, so she used the letter instead. That is what we will tell everyone," she said. "The two of us will be L and Elle Bruet," she said to Ella. Ella smiled brightly at her brother and Aunt.

"Mama, what is that?" Ella asked innocently. Everyone look up just in time for the train to jolt, and a large glass bottle to tip right over Ella's head. Scarlett swiftly covered her daughter, and took the hit of the jar on her own head. The thin glass broke and the thick, foul-smelling liquid completely soaked her hair.

"Scarlett!" India screamed, watching the woman's eyes roll back into her head. She nearly fell off her seat, but India caught her and could only hold her up. "Go find the conductor, Wade," India ordered.

"Remember that I'm Wayne," he hastily reminded her before exiting. India nodded while struggling to hold up her companion.

"What is going on here?" A deep voice asked. India turned and her heart fluttered.

"My, um, sister was knocked unconscious," she said while the man helped her settle Scarlett safely onto the seat. India stopped and smelled her hands. "This is laudanum!" She practically yelled. "She is pregnant!" The man jumped in alarm and went to fetch some of the water they were keeping in store for the ride.

"What is going on here?" The conductor asked, taking in the scene.

"There was a bottle being stored right above my sister's head," India said while glaring at the man. "When the train jolted, it fell on top of her head. It was full of laudanum and she is pregnant, and if anything happens to my sister or the child I will be having words with your boss."

"I am truly sorry ma'am," he apologized. "It must have been left behind by a passenger. I will be sure to report the incident myself, and I will see if there is a doctor onboard."

Not a minute later, the first man reappeared with worrying news. "The water is out," he said lowly.

"What do you mean?" India asked.

"It seems the water supply sprung a leak, and now the whole train is out of water," he whispered. "It would be best to reserve what you have saved in the compartment. I am not sure how much longer the journey is," he advised. "Is there anything else I can do to help?"

"I-I suppose you could help the conductor in his search for a doctor," she suggested.

"I will go right now," he said. "I'm Joseph Paine," he introduced himself.

"Er, Lydia Hamilton," she said in return. He smiled and turned to exit.

"I hope I might run into you in Salt Lake," he said, turning back to her.

"I am sure we might run into each other soon then," India could not help but smile. Joseph could not avoid the bump to Wade's shoulder as they crossed ways and excused himself.

"I would be careful with my Aunt, if I were you," he warned. Joseph gave a serious nod to the boy.

"I agree," he said. "It's mighty good of you to look out for her." Wade smiled tentatively.

"Is it alright if I help?" He asked a bit timidly. Joseph gave a short-humored laugh and ducked his head back into the compartment.

"It seems as though I will be taking extra help, if that is alright with you Miss Hamilton," he said with a nod toward Wade.

"Mrs. Hamilton," India corrected weakly. Joseph paused, then nodded.

"I suppose your Uncle was lucky to have caught her first," he said to Wade after a few moments.

" _Was_ ," Wade put stress on the word.

"I'm sorry," Mr. Paine said. Wade looked up at him knowingly.

"You are, but you are happy too," he said. Joseph gave a wry laugh.

"I am," he agreed.

"I suppose I should say that we are not in mourning for my Uncle Hamilton," Wade said. Joseph Paine looked slightly more hopeful. "Uncle Hamilton perished in the war. It is my Uncle Bruet we have recently lost," Wade said a little painfully. He supposed in a way they were losing his Uncle Rhett and his sister Bonnie. Joseph's hand on his shoulder stopped his musing.

"It seems you were close," he observed. Wade nodded.

"He was the father I never knew," he admitted quietly. "My dad died in the war too, and my Mother soon after," he said the rehearsed story, but the pain was too real. He was losing his Uncle Rhett and the story his Mother had him rehearse took her away too.

"I am sorry for the losses your family has suffered," Joseph said quietly. Not a few minutes later, they found the conductor talking with a younger gentleman, and the four chatted quietly and moved onto the next carriage. It took a few minutes, but they found a retired doctor at the front of the train.

The man introduced himself as a Dr. Henry Golden before looking over and feeling Scarlett's head for bumps. He clucked his tongue and hummed all the while everyone stood tensely.

"You say she has been out for nearly seven minutes?" He asked and India was quick to confirm. "The good news is the child is going to be just fine." Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. "There are no open cuts on her head to worry about. The glass was too thin to really break her skin. It was really foolish of someone to travel with an improper container to store the medicine in, and leave it laying around haphazardly!" He was visibly upset.

"I am worried though that Mrs. Bruet has not awoken since the incident," he said. "She does have a bump from the impact of the jar, and she will have an acute migraine when she awakens. It would be best to cover the windows to keep the sun out, and to help her recover. It would be a good idea to _carefully_ ," he emphasized, "brush out her hair to make sure there is not any remaining glass to cut her.

"Are we not an hour's journey from Salt Lake City, Sir?" Dr. Golden asked the conductor who confirmed the estimation. "I feel compelled to ask if anyone is to meet you at the station?" He asked. "Mrs. Bruet should be put to bed right away."

"We are all that is left of our family," India answered. "We have come this way because," she hesitated on what to tell the man, "Mrs. Bruet has a head for business and we hope that people may be more understanding since we haven't her husband to lead us anymore." India blushed lightly, she had not completely thought the comment through, and though they could live off of the jewelry and saved currency, she knew she would have trouble reigning in Scarlett's natural inclination toward business.

"I understand," the man said. "I would not normally offer this, but since the children have all grown up and left we may offer your family a place to recoup. No, no," he held up a hand when India began to protest. "Unfortunately, you have chosen a busy time to travel and the city's inns will be full. I am sure my wife will welcome you all, she will even fuss over the children," he said with twinkling eyes.

"You are too kind, Sir," India demurred.

The rest of the ride into the Western Front was tense. Scarlett had yet to awaken, and the doctor became more worried. She was carefully ensconced in a bedroom upstairs in the kind doctor's home while his wife fussed over her. It had been a while that the woman had children under her roof and a patient to see to after. The circumstances had her worried and joyful that she had people to cook and chat with, maybe even knit for if she could convince them to stay long enough.

It took until morning for Scarlett to open her eyes to something other than the compartment on the train. She looked about the dark room and tried not to moan aloud at the sharp pain when she twisted her neck slightly to one side. She wondered how she hit her head for a moment. Her eyes opened wider and she called for her daughter.

Trying to get up made her dizzy. She did her best to push past it, but the doorframe became her stronghold.

"Ella!" She kept calling. Trying to walk became too much so she settled for trying to crawl when the exercise became too much. "Where is my baby?" She asked weakly.

"Now child," someone admonished her, she tried to see straight, but her head was spinning and it made her too nauseated. She leaned away from the person and released the fowl contents of her stomach.

"Oh, the poor dear," someone else clicked their tongue worriedly. "Quickly, put her back to bed Henry," the woman said.

"Ella," Scarlett tried to ask for her daughter again. The thought of her Ella being hurt kept her from keeping calm. The woman, she supposed, patted her hand.

"The child is sleeping," she answered. "It was a long ride for everyone and it will take time for everyone to recover from the journey."

"Is she not hurt?" Scarlett managed to ask.

"She is just fine," the other person, Henry, answered. "Not one scratch on her or you. 'Tis a miracle indeed when one takes into account how high the glass bottle was above your heads and how hard it impacted upon you."

Scarlett finally relaxed and closed her eyes with a murmured thank you. The woman tucked her in and Scarlett felt that peace again that had temporarily settled on her in Atlanta. This time she dwelled in it, but peace, as always, is hard to keep. Dwelling on it brought her thoughts to her baby Bonnie.

Rhett had gone back home. He had taken their Bonnie back, but how long was that to last? He may have only returned to say that he was leaving her and keeping Bonnie permanently. Scarlett may have been kept from contacting her own daughter. Her musing had her overcome with grief, and she struggled put it off and think about it tomorrow.

It seemed that tomorrow had come though.

With her tears came tears for her Mama and Pa. Losing them had been too hard because she needed them and they had left her to deal with the world on her own. She knew she did not make the right choices, but her choices had saved Tara. Her one selfish choice to marry Rhett 'for fun', had been both wrong and right in some respects.

She supposed she could have convinced society's scoundrel to wait until her mourning period was over for Frank. It would have taken one sincere promise to hold him off. She could have even convinced Frank to give them the money for Tara with a marriage to Suellen.

She had been vain in those accounts though. She had flirted with Frank and married him to prove to herself that her beauty had not been affected by the stress of her losses, being the sole provider for her family, and getting the rest through the war without any more death.

Rhett only had to appeal to her vanity to convince her to marry him. Oh, how vain she was! The things she did to flaunt her wealth and beauty…and this was where it had led her.

"There now Scarlett," she heard India, and the woman carefully wiped away her tears. "Yes, you have been very vain, but I think now you might be trying to make up for it," she said quietly. Scarlett did not know she had been talking, much less heard. India was quick to reassure her that it was just them. Mrs. Golden had heard her mumbling, but India had woken up to Scarlett's weeping and was quick to take care of her 'sister'.

"The sun is just coming up, and I promised Mrs. Golden that I would help her with breakfast," India said after Scarlett was able to completely rest. "Dr. Golden said you must stay in the room. It is to be kept dark because of the migraine." Scarlett flinched. Her crying had only made her head ache worse, but she could not hold back her grieving. This pregnancy was making it harder for her to deal with issues the way she normally would.

"I do not understand why you have even given me the time of day when I have been so cruel to everyone," Scarlett whispered.

"You promised me an adventure," India said, getting up from Scarlett's bedside. "And I have to admit that life in Atlanta was mundane. This is turning out to be quite an adventure L." Scarlett had to smile at the wordplay on her surname. It had been something she came up with on the spot, but she felt it suited her situation.

It took weeks for Scarlett to be able to stand the daylight without getting a headache after being out of her dark room too long. The Dr. and Mrs. Golden encouraged her to take her time healing. She firmly believed the that couple was doing their best to keep her family from moving into an inn because they had not any young ones to spoil in a while. It saved her money for rooms at an inn, so Scarlett did not complain too much, and her morning sickness kept her in the room for most of the morning anyway.

It was not until Scarlett had finally been able to be outside of her room for a full day that she realized the Goldens had become the grandparents her son and daughter never knew. Rhett never offered to introduce them to his mother, and his mother never traveled to Atlanta. She knew that Rhett had taken Bonnie though.

She sat hard on the sofa as she thought it through. Rhett had tried to be a father to her son, but Scarlett had been too upset to let him ever take Wade away again and made it clear the he was _her_ son. It had been her fault that Rhett could not treat Wade and Ella as his completely like he did with Bonnie because she _was_ his, and he kept her from Scarlett.

She had seen him look so longingly at her belly sometimes when she was pregnant with Ella that she could read the want in his eyes before he closed them off. She didn't know what to make of it then so she pushed it to the back of her mind and forgot about it till now.

"What troubles you dear?" Mrs. Golden asked. Scarlett hastily wiped her eyes and tried to smile.

"My husband will never be the father he wanted to my children," she answered. "Do you think I might be well enough to leave the house today?" Scarlett asked before the woman could speak. "I feel that I really must get started to settle the children before I get too big."

"You need not worry about that," Mrs. Golden smiled. "I know you have to leave sometime, but forgive me if I try to keep my house full," she said with teary eyes. "A full house helps my heart to be full." Scarlett smiled gently.

"This pregnancy has been harder than my last three," she said unthinkingly. "I promise I will only move as fast as the child allows. We might end up staying till I give birth, if you will allow us that long."

"I will allow it until the babe's grown and marries off!" Mrs. Golden laughed. "My son and daughter are too busy to come up and see their Mama, and I am getting too old to travel east as often as I want.

"Can I ask what happened to your other children?" The older woman asked carefully. Scarlett's face fell when she realized her mistake.

"Eugenie, the loveliest girl you could ever see with my Pa's blue eyes and my dark hair," Scarlett answered. The woman's face fell. "What's wrong?" Scarlett asked.

"I do not think it can be kept from you any longer," she started, "and I am surprised that you have not noticed until now."

"Noticed what?" Scarlett asked.

"Lydia always helps you with your hair in the dark room for a reason," Mrs. Golden said getting up and opening a drawer from the writing desk. Scarlett accepted the object she was handed with some confusion. She looked into it and gasped. "It seems the laudanum altered the color," she said. "It might be permanent or it could grow back as your hair does."

"I-it-my hair is gold!" Scarlett exclaimed. India and the children ran inside from the game they were playing with the doctor outside. "How did it happen?"

"It seems that an ingredient in the medicine took away the color," Mrs. Golden said. "It ruined your dress."

"I have packed it away," India said meaningfully. "We can go later to have a new one made for you if you will allow it."

They all needed new clothing. In their haste to leave, everything that could be replaced was left behind. Scarlett counted the figures in her head and they could afford the clothing if she sold a ring, and the leftover money could be used to pay for some of the food to help the Goldens since they had refused any money for rooming them, and she would have enough left to make a small investment.

She had talked with the doctor a few times about any ventures or businesses he may have invested in, and the man was surprised that she had such a bright mind. He promised to help her gain firm footing in her new surroundings.

Scarlett was confident that she would be able to support her family in a year's time. Dr. Golden had accompanied her to help her purchase an empty plot of land where she felt a store would benefit the people, and the doctor agreed with her decision after she explained her reasoning. It would take a few months to build, and Scarlett had already started making contacts with suppliers she knew were trustworthy.

The Goldens had introduced her and India to all their acquaintances, and Scarlett allowed India to convince her to join a few sewing circles that Mrs. Golden was also a part of. India told Scarlett that it would be beneficial to her reputation and therefore the business of the store.

Scarlett's plans were coming along smoothly due to her careful planning and the doctor's willing advice. Rhett had never been so willing to give his advice when she asked. He attempted to throw money at the hiccups or bumps she found herself going over, but she firmly refused and learned to deal with the problems her own way.

Mrs. Golden constantly worried over Scarlett when she returned home after seeing to the store while it was being built. Scarlett often popped in on the men to see how the building was coming along, and often brought a basket of muffins that India and Mrs. Golden had taken time to bake. It endeared her to the workers, and she found they did their best to complete their various tasks on time, and the store was done sooner than was expected. It made Scarlett pause to think.

Ashley had always tried to tell her how awful the working conditions were for the prisoners. 'Of course they were miserable, most of them had done something truly awful to be where they were,' she often thought, but she had never taken the time to truly listen to her friend, and now she knew firsthand what he had meant.

She wondered how truly successful the lumber business would be if the workers were happy while they worked. If they were happy then they may have produced more wood, and the wood may have been an even better quality then what she had been selling.

"Oh L," Mrs. Golden tsked and she rushed to help Scarlett put her feet up after Scarlett had been gone most of the day. "You truly are a worrisome child."

"You are happy to fuss over me though," Scarlett cheekily told her with a playful smirk. Mrs. Golden smiled and laughed.

"'Tis true!" She said after. "Though I do worry so about your health and the health of the baby."

"L's time of confinement is nearly here," India said pointedly to Scarlett. "I think we can both stop worrying so much about them then."

A knock sounded at the front door and Mrs. Golden fussed a little over India before she hurried to answer the caller. They all knew who it was and Scarlett couldn't help but pat India's shaking hands to reassure her.

"Good evening Mrs. Bruet, Lydia." Scarlett noticed the way his eyes and his tongue lingered on India's name. He had become a frequent caller at the Golden's home and Scarlett or Mrs. Golden often kept watch over them when they went for walks. Scarlett expected him to ask India an important question any day now, and she knew India would be happy to say yes.

India had at first been worried about lying to Joseph forever. She and Scarlett talked it over for days, and Scarlett told her to make him promise on his word as a gentleman, that he would not reveal their secret.

Mr. Paine had taken the truth hard. India was heartbroken, and Scarlett had been upset that he hadn't called on India in days. She had also been fearful.

What if he had taken it upon himself to find and write to Rhett? What if Rhett was already riding toward his wayward wife with his whip and sharp tongue at the ready? She could picture her tall dark husband racing his favorite stallion across the desert to reach her. The fury in his eyes would freeze her and he would grab her up and never let her leave his side until their baby was born.

Then he would take the baby and Bonnie and leave again. Leaving Scarlett with her broken heart and nothing but the coldness that was her former life.

It was this fear that caused her to be angry with the man, and in her fury, she had gone down to his job site and told him off for breaking India's heart. He looked properly frightened of the pregnant woman, and when she had finally finished yelling he calmly explained.

"There has been a flood, Mrs. Bruet," he said. "We have all been working day and night to get the wood and crops put to right, that I haven't found time to see, In-er-Lydia. By the time we are done here it is already too late to call." Scarlett blushed furiously.

"I seem to have let my fears overtake my senses," Scarlett said apologetically. "I am sorry you have put up with my abuse of your character."

"It's all right, ma'am," he laughed. "This has been the highlight to my mundane day. Yesterday it was Gilbert Holden nearly being crushed by a mudslide," he said more somberly. "I think in about two more days we will be done here, and I will be back in my office signing and filing contracts."

That had been embarrassing for Scarlett and she was sure India would yell at her for making her seem desperate, but the woman only laughed when she told her how she went off on her beau and asked her to retell the story. After that India went out to start a game with the children and Scarlett watched on as she smiled and laughed with them.

Her time of confinement had come upon her too fast. The store had just been stocked when Wade brought up the fact that it nearly resembled her store in Atlanta. Scarlett ordered a few counters to be moved and a few items were given different places after her son's comment. The family and Joseph were exhausted and Scarlett was satisfied but upset that she would not be able to be there for the opening of her own store.

Dr. Golden had allowed her to put off her confinement period until the two weeks after her eighth month of pregnancy. He promised to help India and Joseph oversee the opening of her store. Mrs. Golden pampered Scarlett to both of their hearts content, and when the time finally came for the birth, the woman was ecstatic to have another baby in the house after so long.

Dr. Golden felt it necessary to call on a midwife during Scarlett's labor. The child was taking too long to be birthed, and he was worried about needing extra help. The midwife, Mrs. Williams, was a godsend to Scarlett and Dr. Golden.

She quickly versed the doctor on newer methods of delivery, and the man was a fast learner despite his age. Scarlett had been in labor nearly two whole days before her son was safely delivered. Both the doctor and the midwife assured her he was healthy when he was placed over her chest after the birth.

Scarlett cried as she held her son. He looked just like his father.

"Oh Rhett," she whispered, desperately wishing he could be there at that moment. "Look what we have created together."

And so it was that Scarlett's son was christened Rhett, after his father. Baby Rhett charmed everyone with just one glance of his emerald eyes and adorable baby smile that Scarlett knew would be a copy of his father's when he became a man.

Mrs. Golden had been calming a fussy Rhett when Dr. Golden had surprised Scarlett with her son's birth certificate. He had every single detail filled in so accurately, that Scarlett could not stop herself from telling the husband and wife why she and her family had lied to them.

"All is well," Mrs. Golden reassured her. "That morning you woke up crying, I could not help but listen at the door. I was wrong to eavesdrop and I am sorry for doing so, but I wanted to help if I could."

"We do not hold anything against you," Dr. Golden said, putting her mind at ease. He sent a copy of the certificate off to a friend in New York City to be filed, and Scarlett was grateful that he had thought of it.

Mrs. Golden had smiled gently as she placed her son in her arms again. He was hungry. The doctor quickly excused himself to allow the two women time to themselves.

With Mrs. Golden's assistance, Scarlett nursed a child for the first time in her life. It was wonderful to feel so close him, to feel him nursing at her breast. She truly felt like a mother, there was a growing connection she had with baby Rhett that she lacked with her other children and she savored it as much as she could.

* * *

 _Laudanum was actually a 'cure-all' for women, and a popular 'medicine'. It was also abused because of the opium it contained. Women used it to make their complexion lighter, and I thought…will if it was used for making a women's complexion lighter why not hair? Lol…me-logic…even if it couldn't actually do that…_

 _I almost forgot to post this chapter today because of I have three chapters to go over this week for Human Biology *tears*…I'm so glad my exam week is over with though. I'm still exhausted from all the studying and reviewing…_

 _Next week you all can expect Rhett again with Bonnie, and sweet Melanie._

 _I do have to warn though, that there's more story line then dialogue, though I hope not less interesting! I think I'll do my best to remember to put up the new chapter on Saturday…_


	4. The Journey

_So I never got to post this on Saturday like I promised (^.^') Forgive me!_

 _But, here's Rhett, Bonnie and other loved characters…I hope you all enjoy this chapter!_

 _*nervously bites fingers*_

* * *

 _ **The Journey**_

* * *

 _Dearest Mammy,_

 _I have pondered often on that name for a while now. It is so close to Mama. A Mammy so often takes the place of a mother in a child's life, just as you have done for Mama. You have been my Mama when she was so busy keeping track of the plantation is Pa's place._

 _I suppose what I am trying to say is I love you Mammy. You will always be right next to Mama in my heart._

 _Forever yours,_

 _Katie Scarlett_

Melanie had been helping a maid pick up Scarlett's dressing room when she came across the letter. Rhett had been talking lowly with her when Melanie rushed into the room. The poor woman was beginning to look her age with Scarlett absent.

Bonnie was cuddled up with Mammy while Melanie read her Scarlett's letter, and Mammy could only cry as the younger woman read. Mammy had taken to caring and looking after Bonnie very strongly, and as much as she could from her sick bed. They all tried to get her to rest, but she could be even more stubborn than Scarlett. Rhett supposed that was where Scarlett had gotten her stubbornness from. He had, at first, kept Bonnie from bothering Mammy, but her absence caused Mammy to fuss even more with her gone so Melanie and Rhett had allowed Bonnie to visit with Mammy for a short time each day.

Rhett slowly came to the understanding that his daughter's visits put Mammy's mind at rest. The woman was afraid that Bonnie would disappear like Scarlett. After five weeks, it still had not been determined if Scarlett and the children had been taken…or if they had left. The more Rhett thought on it the more he became certain that Scarlett had left, and had taken the children with her.

Was she trying to pay him back for leaving her all those times?

She was certainly vindictive that way, but to leave with _his_ child. He was furious, but he also had time to consider that she had been taken. Were she and the children being treated right if she was? Why had he not been contacted for ransom demands?

It was all confusing, the fear for his family was bleeding from him and anger was festering in him like an infected wound. It was not a wound that could be cauterized by a doctor, but by seeing and knowing the well-being of his wife and children, and having them safe under his roof once more. He would gladly stick to Scarlett's side and suffer through her pining for a man besides himself for the rest of his life, if only he could just _find_ her…and manage not to wring her pretty little neck first.

The image of her neck floated through his mind and he could not fight it off this time, not like the other times when he could.

"Mommy!" His daughter screamed and his heart wrenched, but he didn't move from his bed. Bonnie would not want to see him. Her repetitive dream of him not catching Scarlett as she rolled down the stairs made her angry at her Daddy. Bonnie had taken to clinging to Melanie in Scarlett's place. He was glad that she at least had a motherly figure in her life to guide her.

He also wanted to crush Ashley Wilkes.

The man was weak. He had found him in his study one night drinking from his bottle of brandy. It seemed that his wife had been begging him for another child. Rhett had nearly lost it with the man, He grabbed him from his lapels and raised him up against the shelf.

"If you dare to even sign your wife's death certificate I will ruin you after her death!" He hissed, most of his anger had been taken out on Wilkes that night. He was not ashamed to put the man in his place, but after much hissing and even a punch to the man's gut, he offered him an alternative to his wife's desire for another child. He would find them a daughter, and Ashley Wilkes would in turn pay off his debt by continuing to keep Scarlett's lumber company successful.

The two had spent hours in the office suggesting alternatives to the prisoner labor that Scarlett used to produce wood. After several debates to alternatives, it became clear to both why Scarlett on using the prisoners as labor. It was definitely cheaper, but hiring on workers would put her company in the red. They then discussed the overseers.

The overseers were very harsh, even inhumane, and they were left to their own devices when they went unchecked by Mr. Wilkes. Rhett had been surprised that there were not any clear rules for the overseers to adhere to. The company had lost five of the men after the rules became a written contract for them to follow, but it was no loss to the company and the prisoners were relieved.

Proper water and lunch breaks became a norm to keep them happy. The company could afford the expense, the overseers were less harsh after their own breaks, and more lumber of better quality was being produced. Even more than Scarlett had been producing for her company. He left the main of the company for Mr. Wilkes to oversee, and only came every other day to keep up the ledger.

The two men had taken to discussing the company at night. They were stiff at first, but gradually they began to relax in each other's company. Melanie was happy that the two men were getting along so well. They did not dare correct her, but they did keep their arguments to Rhett's study. They still had not realized it, but they began to talk more instead of argue and Rhett had not seen any reason to make the man stand up to anyone.

Ashley Wilkes was gaining his own confidence with Rhett's inadvertent help, and Rhett was gradually coming to actually slightly respect the man when he stood up for his own decisions and even stood up to a gossiper spreading lies about Scarlett's disappearance. Melanie knew what was happening between them, it is hard to keep things from a woman after all.

The most surprising change in the Butler house was Dr. Meade. The man had finally given his wife an ultimatum, she could either cease her slander of his Goddaughter, or he would be leaving her to her own devices. The woman raged at Scarlett, calling her names, and citing gossip that Mrs. Meade herself had started. The man took one look at his wife and was sorry it had come to this, he apologized to his sons for what he was about to do. He packed up his suitcases and showed up on Rhett's doorstep. Rhett reluctantly let the man in and offered him a room for a night, which became ten nights. Then ten nights became an indefinite stay when word had reached his wife about his whereabouts.

Her scream could be heard all through Atlanta, and the man only smiled and shared with a few known gossipers his relationship with Scarlett, a relationship his wife did her best to keep from everyone's knowledge. He supposed that the volume she used to vent her frustration could have been because of that reason too.

Dr. Meade quickly became the voice of reason between Mr. Butler and Mr. Wilkes's arguments, an invaluable source of wisdom for Melanie, and a grandfather to Beau and Bonnie. Rhett supposed he put up with the man's presence in his home for that reason alone, except for the fact that he was growing on him… and the man had wide contacts amongst the medical community.

"A birth certificate has been filed in New York," Dr. Meade had rushed to tell him one evening. He showed him a letter he had received from a friend who kept in contact with a Dr. George Thorven.

"I have a son," Rhett whispered. His heart was full for a moment, before the despair hit him.

"Rhett Gerald Butler," Dr. Meade laid a hand on the father's shoulder before giving him his space.

It was coming to a year that Scarlett had been missing from his life. Constable Whitney had been concerned that Scarlett had been taken in revenge and was no longer for this earth, but Rhett knew she was out there.

His thoughts returned to the letter Scarlett wrote for her Mammy to find and was again left with the suspicion that she had chosen to leave of her own accord. Dr. Meade wisely chose not to say or show his opinion, so they both chose to keep silent. The Constable had contacts in other cities looking for her, and if she had chosen to leave of her own accord he would quit the search.

A trip to New York with Bonnie, Melanie, Beau, and Dr. Meade left him in despair once again. Dr. Thorven had filed the certificate at the request of a friend. He refused to answer who this friend was, but offered to show him the letter.

 _George,_

 _A woman I met in passing asked me to file this with the furthest contact I knew. I would be completely in your debt if you would please help me do as she asked._

 _I must confess I was worried that she was ship bound to Japan so soon after the birth, but that such a charming woman could convince this old man that all would be well._

 _I do hope she will be well._

 _Ever your friend,_

 _Henry Golden_

The letter was a God-given lead he could follow.

He quickly made plans to attempt to follow Scarlett's trail. He was glad of Dr. Meade's insistence to accompany him on the long journey, though he knew the doctor also wanted to seize the once in a lifetime chance at learning foreign healing methods.

They lingered in vast city for a week, taking in the sights and sounds. It was all a wonder to Melanie and the children, even the doctor expressed his exuberance at a few things. It was also there that Melanie's son found the newest member of the Wilkes family.

The child was barely a year along, quite tiny for being born just around the same time as Rhett's son. She was quickly named Katie after Scarlett, and she had the loveliest head of blonde curls that matched her brother Beau's. Beau seemed to be in awe of his sister, he was quite proud of the fact that he was the one who had found the child.

Little Katie had been abandoned in the hospital a few hours after her mother had birthed her. Dr. Meade had only gone to the same hospital the next day so he could catch up with a friend for a few moments. He had taken Beau with him because the child was curious about a surgery he had heard about. Dr. Meade was a tad upset that information of such a surgery had reached the child's ears, but the more he thought about it, the more it seemed that they might have a future doctor in the making.

Mr. Wilkes did not have the money for such an education for his son, but Dr. Meade never touched a penny of the money he had saved for his sons, and no one could stop him from encouraging the boy to be fully curious about a doctor's experience with healing.

While the doctor pondered on this, Beau had escaped his notice.

When the good doctor tried to introduce his charge to his friend, the little man was missing! Dr. Meade was quite frantic to find him, and the nurses were in an uproar helping. Not ten minutes later Little Beau Wilkes was found in the nursery with his sister-to-be, and three hours later, Melanie, Rhett, and Bonnie had joined him. Some money exchanged hands, a birth certificate was issued, and little Katie was set to go home to Atlanta the next day.

Only little Beau Wilkes was quite upset because he never got to hear more about the surgery, and was only happy when Dr. Meade indulged the boy with less gruesome details that would wait until the child was older.

Atlanta had only been a stop on the way West for Rhett. Not two days later, and they had a whole trunk packed for an extended stay in Japan, and maybe even China. Dr. Meade tried not to complain too much about his old bones taking the abuse of riding the train in such a short amount of time, and Rhett seemed to be sorry that he was so impatient, but they had to catch Scarlett and whoever else she may have been with.

She was alive!

She had given him a son, and he despaired so because of their absence. He often found himself pondering on his son's looks. Would he take after Scarlett as Bonnie did? Was he a combination of them both? Or, heaven forbid, did he take his looks from his father?

He would not be disappointed if baby Rhett took after him, but Rhett himself inherited his looks from his own father, and he did not want that for his son. Rolf Butler was a scoundrel of the worst sort. He was society's ideal gentleman, but privately was as rotten as the devil himself.

He hoped with all his heart that little Rhett had taken after Scarlett. Maybe it would break the cycle of the Butler men's tendency to be pariahs to family and society.

"One hour to Ogden!" They heard the conductor yell.

"Ay, remember the trip to Salt Lake," They heard two conductors converse outside their private compartment.

"It had my heart beating out of my chest to be sure! I still have no idea how that bottle of laudanum ended up in that woman's compartment!" The second man said.

"I hear there's lasting effects of the accident," the first man said.

"To be sure!" Confirmed the second man. "I am just glad the Mrs. Bruet has not seen fit to report my oversight to the uppers! I have a wife and children to support, after all." A knock interrupted their conversation and Rhett was surprised that it was Dr. Meade.

"I am sorry to have overheard your conversation," he said to the two men. "I am only curious because I am a doctor, but what were the lasting effects of this woman's accident with a bottle of laudanum? Did it cause her to overdose?" He asked.

"Not one drop ended up in her mouth, which relieves me because of her pregnancy and her sister was highly upset," the first conductor said. "The last I heard of the woman was from the Dr. Golden himself when he traveled himself a few days ago to visit his son."

"Dr. Golden you say?" Rhett asked, suddenly interested, but disappointed they would not catch the man on their journey.

"Yes, sir," the man said. "It seems that the medicine had altered the woman's color so, and it seems to be permanent."

"T'is very interesting," Dr. Meade said. "It did not harm the baby?"

"Not at all," the man said. "Not one scratch on the woman, which greatly relieved us all," he reported.

"A relief to be sure," Dr. Meade agreed, and allowed the man to continue with his duties. "Very interesting effect of the medicine," he said to himself.

Rhett took nearly a week in Ogden organizing the trip to California and buying horses. Someone mentioned a wagon train heading out that way, they needed more men to see to the safety of the women and children at night in the Indian territory.

"There's always a shortage of men around these parts," the man joked. Rhett discussed it with his companion and they both agreed to travel with the train. It would be safer that way for the two men, even if it slowed them down by days.

When Rhett stopped to think about how Scarlett must have taken the travel further west, he wondered how she would have taken the strenuous journey of traveling by wagon. She was a tough little woman with a hardened resolve to survive, if her years surviving the war had anything to show for her experience, he knew that it would have been hard, but she would deal with it and see to the Wade and Ella. He was especially worried about his two older children though.

Dr. Thorven's letter had not mentioned them, just Scarlett and their son. If his family had been taken, were they now separated by their kidnappers? Had Scarlett been able to get away but was forced to leave her children? He refused to think on that last question.

If Scarlett saw a chance to get away, then she would have run to her Grandfather Robillard for help. That old man would have moved heaven and earth to save his great grandchildren for his beloved granddaughter's sake. When the man had learned of the near downfall of his daughter's home, and his granddaughter's actions to save it, he had ridden a full day and night to chastise all three of his granddaughters. Scarlett was ashamed of the spanking she received, Suellen was bitter, and Caroline, Careen, was saved her grandfather's hand by Scarlett.

Suellen had received the worst though because of her bitterness. Her grandfather advised her to keep herself in check, times had changed, and they would never recover the wealth they had boasted before the war. Scarlett's second sister had ignored his words and wholly blamed the whole war and their losses on Scarlett.

Grandfather Robillard was nearing six and eighty years of life, and he was still healthy and strong. He kept in constant contact with Rhett when he was informed of his granddaughter and great grandchildren's disappearance. The man was stiff with Rhett, and wholly disliked his match with Scarlett, but he put up with him because Rhett was just as concerned for his wife, as the older man was for his granddaughter.

Rhett did not know how the man did it, but he received a letter one day while they were with the wagon train. Grandfather Robillard had delivered a letter informing him that he had followed up on Dr. George Thorven's letter and found Dr. Henry Golden visiting with his daughter in Pennsylvania. His daughter had given birth to her third child, but the doctor could only say Mrs. Butler had only stayed five days before leaving further west, as his letter had stated. He did not say anything about Wade or Ella. Dr. Golden looked like he wanted to say more, but he either did not or could not because he was being threatened.

Grandfather Robillard was thoroughly checking the man's past before he came to a conclusion on him and would have it to Rhett by the time he sailed off from California.

There were two incidents on the journey that proved Rhett and Dr. Meade's characters to their traveling group. When they started out, the men and women were weary of the two unknown men.

Two days into the trip, a mother had woken up yelling for her son. He was missing from her side when she awoke and could not find him anywhere near their campsite. Rhett followed his instincts. Ever since Scarlett's disappearance, they had disappeared, along with his composure. This time he was sure he knew how to find the missing boy. He quickly pulled the boy's father aside and told him his plan. The two had the train move on while they searched the area. Near nightfall they found him in a cave tied up by a sleeping Indian. Rhett stopped the father from rushing in. The man was either alone or he had others nearby. It was a tense situation, but they bound and gagged the Indian to keep him from calling out for help. By morning they had caught up to the wagon train and the family was safely reunited.

"I wanted to see the bird," the boy had said. "And mama and papa work so hard every day, I didn't want to bother them," he explained.

"Little man," Rhett said gently, "you are brave, but even I still sometimes need my father and mother." It was a white lie, he still sought out his mother because he could see her freely after his father's death, and he still needed to give his father the punch he rightly deserved, but the boy need not know that bit.

While Rhett and the boy's father were out on a rescue mission, Dr. Meade on been on one of his own. A woman was close to giving birth, but their doctor had taken ill and was unable to help. Dr. Meade was called upon, and saw the problem right away, the baby was early and still on his side. A surgery needed to be performed right away to save mother and child.

It was a long procedure, and it took up half the night, but the two were safe. The woman only had to worry about infection from giving birth. Dr. Meade instructed her on the newer methods of keeping the incision clean to lower her risk of catching an infection and a fever.

Both men were exhausted by the time they met up again, but their charges were safe for now. The men were more open with the two strangers, and the women thankful. It made the journey easier when they found they could get along well, and they had found new acquaintances in the group.

The boy's father, Mr. Charles Paine, turned out to be well acquainted with the same Mrs. Bruet Rhett had heard about. Dr. Henry Golden was the other doctor that was to accompany the wagon train to the west and return on horseback, but he found he had to cancel to see to his new grandchild. It turned out that Mr. Paine's brother was to marry Mrs. Bruet's sister after the doctor's return from Pennsylvania, and the doctor was given the task of returning with the bride's wedding gown.

"I never knew she had an accident with laudanum," the man said. "It explains how she ended up in Dr. Golden's care. The doctor is retired you see, and they found out they are related, so she has been taken in by him after her husband's death."

"How did he die?" Rhett felt compelled to ask. He felt a strange kinship toward this unknown woman.

"His ship sank in the West Indies," he answered. "The poor dear is still in full mourning, even after the birth of her son. Personally, I don't see a time when she will put up her mourning cloths."

Their conversation was cut short by the dinnertime call, and it left Rhett to picture this unknown woman. She seemed delicate in a way that Scarlett was not. Scarlett would gladly give up her mourning attire not a day after his burial if he had passed prematurely.

Charles Paine agreed to keep up the acquaintance with Mr. Butler after their departure in California. Rhett was happy that the man agreed. He wanted to learn more about the businesses and people in the Utah territory. They were very self-sufficient in a way the people of the US of A seemed to be quickly losing sight of.

Mr. Butler was lucky to book the last room on a ship bound for Japan the day of the wagon train's arrival. He could put up with sharing a room with his wife's Godfather for the few weeks it would take them to reach the small country. They were lucky it was a first-class cabin and there would be enough room to comfortably fit another bed.

Rhett had an inkling that Grandfather Robillard had a hand in the room and ship being available upon their arrival. He was not in the mind to be irritated with the man though because it had worked in his favor and the two gentlemen just wanted to bathe and rest for this part of their journey.

They ended up sleeping for nearly two whole days.

The ship's Captain had become worried that his two passengers had not left their cabin in all that time. He knocked for nearly five minutes, the morning of the third day, and considered having a few of his men break the door in. Dr. Meade answered before the Captain could give the order.

"Very sorry to disturb your morning, Sir," the Captain apologized to the ruffled man. "My crew and myself were worried when you and your son had not left your room for two whole days."

"Two whole days!" The doctor exclaimed, waking up Rhett with the yelling. "Wake up Mr. Butler, we have been sleeping off our journey for two days now!"

"I know," Rhett yawned and stretched. "I tried to wake you up two times for dinner and was planning on overturning your bed tonight if you did not get up." The ship's Captain could only laugh at the situation.

"Do not laugh, my good man, Mr. Butler is completely serious," Dr. Meade said good naturedly.

"Completely," Rhett said with a straight face and the other men laughed. "I am sorry for causing you and your men to worry, Captain. I just have one question for you."

"Please, ask anything you need of me," the Captain said.

"Is there a chance that breakfast is still being served?" he asked. The doctor's stomach chose that moment to growl, and the men laughed a little more.

"It is a few hours until lunch, but I know the cook will be happy to fulfil your request," the Captain said.

The weeks it took to sail were long, but relaxing. The sea ran in his blood; it was like greeting an old friend. The ship's Captain allowed him on the captain's deck to view the newer advancements of the ship. Rhett was highly interested, and took his time learning about them. He also learned a few things while there…

Another ship had sailed a nearly a month ahead of them, the ship's Captain did not know the particulars of the passengers, but it was his good friend Captain Reeds's ship. They would be meeting up with Captain Reeds in Japan, and sailing off after about a week of restocking food and water.

After being acquainted with Captain Reeds, Mr. Butler and Dr. Meade ascertained that Scarlett on not been aboard the ship. Scarlett would have made it in time to book a room on the ship. Rhett asked about any children, but the Captain did not allow children to sail on his ship. He shipped more cargo than passengers and did not want the risk of having a child injured while on board.

Rhett considered that maybe Scarlett had lied to Dr. Golden. Either way, he ended up at a tea house, with a few cups of sake, and was unwittingly avoiding the geishas. Dr. Meade let the man have time to himself to nurse his heart. He left the man to find his way to their rooms and went off exploring the seaside town.

It so happened that was a mistake on the doctor's part, leaving Rhett all alone. The next morning Dr. Meade ended up being chased out of some small home while an older man chased him away with a cane and the man's daughter, he guessed, begged him on her knees. The yelling and crying followed Dr. Meade all the way back to his room, and Rhett exited his with a raised eyebrow.

"Do not ask because I know nothing," Dr. Meade said.

Rhett took his time to study the father and daughter. He tried his best to communicate with the man, but didn't know the local dialect to really understand him, he motioned for the man to follow, and they found Captain Reeds who knew plenty of the Japanese language to understand what was happening.

"It seems your friend married the girl last night," the Captain said. "He could have gone to the girl's elders this morning to have the marriage called off, but she claims it was consummated. The father was angry because his permission wasn't obtained for the marriage to take place, and he is casting her out of his home and demanding that your friend take her in as her husband is expected to do."

"Please explain to him that Dr. Meade is already married," Rhett said. The father became red with anger and spit on his daughter, he raised his hand to slap her, but Rhett held it strongly in his grasp.

"I will see to it that my wife's Godfather takes care of the girl," he hissed, looking at the angry man. The Captain hurriedly translated to the man and he exchanged words with the man before he left without a backwards glance at his daughter.

"I do not know the proper words for your translation, but I explained to him that you are traveling with your wife's elder and promised to see that he takes care of her," the Captain said. "I know you don't know much about this country, but that basically means you have agreed to take care of her in the doctor's place if anything were to happen to him. He wants to see her before your departure, to make sure she is well," he said.

"This whole trip is turning out to be a disaster," Rhett muttered. "No lead on Scarlett, Wade, or Ella, and now Dr. Meade seems to have taken a second wife or I have inherited a dependent!"

"Most men abandon their oriental wives," the Captain said.

"I may be the social pariah of Atlantean society, but I have never broken a promise!" Rhett hissed at the man and turned to head back to his room. The girl quickly followed and the ship Captain shook his head.

"You are a better man than most gentlemen!" he yelled at the man's back, knowing he was heard when Mr. Butler seemed to stand up straighter.

Dr. Meade took the news of his marriage harder than Rhett had. He locked himself in his room the rest of the morning before leaving to take a walk. It seemed the young woman had taken upon herself to follow him everywhere, and Rhett followed purely for amusement.

"It seems your wife is wanting her marriage trousseau," Rhett called to the doctor. The man turned to find the woman looking at silks and laces. Rhett looked at the beautiful fabrics and found a delicate silk that reminded him of Scarlett's eyes.

"Lovely fabric for your wife?" He asked. Rhett supposed he had been looking at it for too long and attracted the attention of the vendor.

"It exactly the color of her eyes when she is furious," he smiled nostalgically. He noticed the man scowl at the young woman and was prepared to chase her off.

"She is my, um, elder's new wife," Rhett said.

"Ah," the man said apologetically with a slight bow.

"Can you tell her she can have the silk she's been looking at, I will take this one for my own wife," Rhett said. He could picture the gleam in Scarlett's eyes when he would untie the package for her. He wondered if he would ever get to untie it for her and see that gleam anytime soon. He pointed out a few other fabrics that he thought would suit Ella and Bonnie, even a hat for Wade, and a few other fabrics for the young woman. The vendor chatted with the woman while he explained his choices to her. "Can you ask her name?" He asked the vendor.

"Her name is Masako," he answered after questioning the woman. "It means 'child of truth' in your language."

Dr. Meade was upset that Rhett had taken it upon himself to buy Masako a few wedding gifts. He hardly spoke to him the whole trip back to their home country, but Rhett saw him talking to the woman a few times.

They were finally home after nearly four months of being gone.

Bonnie ran to hug him and admonished her Daddy to never leave her for so long again because she missed him so. Rhett nearly cried, having his daughter in his arms again. She did not seem to be mad at him for her dream anymore.

Melanie said she still had the same dream, but Bonnie was beginning to understand that it was just a dream, and if Scarlett ever fell, Rhett would do his best to catch her before she hurt herself. Mrs. Wilkes related her apologies and condolences to Dr. Meade though. Mrs. Meade had contracted pneumonia, and the sickness took her in her sleep.

Dr. Meade was understandably upset for the loss of his wife. He spent the next few weeks visiting her in the cemetery. It was not until Masako started becoming sick every morning that he started trying to get to know the young woman better. He was to be a father again, and he could not decide on whether to be happy or not.

Grandfather Robillard had taken it upon himself to help Ashley Wilkes resolve an issue that had come up with the lumber company during Rhett's absence.

The overseers that were released for not signing their new contract, tried to sue the company for violating a contract Scarlett had them sign. It took a few weeks for them to gather all the ledgers and papers, but they had finally found a side note in Scarlett's writing that she would never have these men under a contract. She understood that their methods could become too harsh and if she contracted to keep them in her company, she could face lawsuits for their conduct. The case was dropped after the former overseers were proven to be lying, and Mr. Wilkes had to prove the company had improved working conditions for the prisoners after many protests from the audience.

Dr. Meade found he could not return to his former home, it was a place he shared with his first wife, and he grieved her loss. Melanie taken it upon herself to help the doctor grieve, so the whole household was in mourning with the doctor.

Rhett had decided to clear out some space in Scarlett's dressing room for Melanie with her help. He suggested that maybe she would like to take a few of Scarlett's old dresses for herself since Scarlett had never thrown out any of her older clothing. Melanie had been using an unused closet for a dressing room, and refused the use of Scarlett's but accepted Captain Butler's offer for some of Scarlett's old dresses.

"That is odd," Melanie said. They had been searching among the fabrics for Scarlett's mourning wardrobe. "I suppose she put them away in the attic," Melanie said after a while.

"She never stored her dresses in the attic," Rhett said. He began thinking while Melanie said she would go to have some made and he absently replied to have them put on his tab, and to have some made for Masako and the children too. Melanie tried to refuse for herself but he was thinking too much to hear her.

"It was her!" The yell had reached Melanie at the bedroom door. Ashley had stood up from his seat quickly, and Melanie rushed back to the Captain.

"I heard Ella!" He said to himself. "I thought it was in my head but it was my Ella, and her dress! I should have recognized any one of Scarlett's dresses anywhere but it had been out of fashion for Scarlett and she normally would not have dared to wear it. I knew she looked too familiar, but I ignored it, and they were gone by the time I looked up, and the other woman's hair!" He kept going "It was pale! Like yours!" He pointed at Ashley.

"India is with Scarlett?" He asked hopefully.

"I think she is," Rhett said. "I know not what was said between them, they are like fire and ice, but my gut is telling me that they are together."

* * *

 _When babies were born, they were automatically said to be 1 year of age, so when the child turned two years old it was actually one year old. I think people started counting a baby by its months, instead of years, in the early 1900's…I'm not too sure when it started._

 _Just a fun little fact I wanted to share to help if there was some confusion with the age of little Katie._

 _I didn't get to look over another chapter before putting it up. Sorry about any grammar mistakes (^.^')_

 _Next week there's a surprise in store for Scarlett…I nearly can't wait to put up the next chapter…..but then again I can wait because of all this schoolwork ;-p lol_


	5. The Puzzle

_I totally owe you all an apology! I completely forgot about putting up this chapter on Monday!...Unfortunately it's another chapter that is going to be unedited so please forgive any grammatical mistakes…punctuation…hmm…can't promise anything on that, lol._

 _Enjoy!...I hope…_

 _ **The Puzzle**_

* * *

Dr. Henry and Molly Golden had started referring to Scarlett and India as their nieces. Scarlett was humbled by these two people. Mrs. Golden had unwittingly showed Scarlett how to express herself to her two older children. Wade and Ella were growing closer to her, and Wade had taken to Joseph in Rhett's place. Joseph became a pseudo father to Wade, he taught him many things boys his age were being taught by their own fathers.

India and Joseph were married a week after Dr. Golden's return from Pennsylvania. Scarlett wanted to have India's dress made in Paris, but India did not want to wait long for her dress's shipment, so Mrs. Golden sent a letter to her daughter Samantha, and she dealt with a well-known modiste in her town. Scarlett did her best to keep her promise India to make her a jewel of the town.

And India was a jewel, even on her wedding day.

Many young women and some girls were envious, but she did not flaunt her beauty like Scarlett had been prone to do before they removed themselves from Atlanta.

"Who am I to stay with, Auntie L?" Wade asked Scarlett while she sat out from the celebrations. Scarlett looked torn. It was widely known that he was under Lydia Paine nee Hamilton's care.

"Come here Wa-yne." She still had trouble calling him by a different name after over a year. Wade looked over to see his brother sleeping in Mrs. Golden's arms.

"The other boys will tease," he whispered. Scarlett's heart wrenched at the thought that her son was growing up.

"Oh, son," she whispered, running her fingers through his hair. He relented and sat himself in his mother's lap while she hugged and sniffed his hair. "Ten years ago I had this beautiful baby boy I named Wade at his father's request," she whispered. "Now my baby boy is growing into a man and I have lost so many chances to hold you like this." She hugged him tighter before he spotted a friend looking at him oddly.

Wade quickly got up and kissed his mother's cheek before running off and leaving her with the sweetest words a mother could hear, "I love you, Mama." Scarlett struggled not to cry as she watched him run off.

"Worry yourself not about a thing," Mrs. Golden whispered, she had been listening to their conversation and had a plan in mind that would keep Scarlett with her son.

It took a few weeks of planning and only minor convincing, but construction had once again started on Scarlett's store, she was cross that it affected business, but was happy with the results because the work did not last too long. It seemed that the Goldens had spent a minor fortune on hiring a team of horses and workers to move and connect their home to Scarlett's store. They made up for half of the cost by selling their plot of land.

Scarlett, Ella, and the Goldens had the whole second floor opening into the top floor of the store, and their new home now had seven bedrooms. Joseph and India had four bedrooms downstairs, and their own sitting room, kitchen, dining and breakfast area. A door to separate the upstairs from the downstairs was installed, and was often kept open during the day.

"I thought I could get rid of you by marrying off, but it seems were stuck together one way or the other," India joked with Scarlett one day. Scarlett laughed.

"You have my son in your care," she whispered. "You will never get rid of me properly," she said a little bit louder. They both laughed.

"I miss Mellie," India sighed. "I feel a little empty without her." Scarlett expressed her agreement. "I wonder what she is doing now."

"I think she is with Bonnie," Scarlett whispered. "I hope I am right." India held her hand while Scarlett thoughts were on her baby girl. "Sometimes I feel like giving up and going home to her, but I know I cannot."

"Why?" India asked.

"Rhett took Bonnie and proposed a divorce." Scarlett heard India gasp. "I refuse lose my baby boy to him too," Scarlett cried silently. "I would not survive another loss. He probably only went back to hand me the dissolution papers." It was comforting when India hugged Scarlett and allowed her to cry on her shoulder.

That had been one of the many talks where they learned to understand each other. When they fought, it was terrible…the neighbors would hear it and it was up to Mrs. Golden, and sometimes Dr. Golden, to scold the women like wayward children and have them make up. Scarlett always giggled after and it soon got India laughing with her.

Nearly six months after marrying Joseph, India whispered to Scarlett that she might be pregnant. She was so excited and Scarlett was excited for her. She looked longingly at little Rhett and wished she could have another baby. Scarlett was determined to be happy for India, but it seemed that when Scarlett was unhappy, everyone sensed it.

"I knew you were going to get back at me someday," India hissed, her old resentment rearing up. "Can you not at least be happy for me?"

"I am happy for you!" Scarlett yelled. "I am truly sorry if my wish for another baby is making you low, but at least you have a husband who would move heaven and earth for your happiness while mine will only crush what little happiness I have found! At least yours would not try to take another baby from you while I have to hide and suffer the loss of my Bonnie every day and fear my son being ripped away too!" Scarlet slammed her bedroom door and cried.

It was then that Joseph learned Scarlett's full story. India had only explained a small part of it to him after they married. The neighbors looked at the family curiously for the better part of a week when one of the local leaders knocked on their door.

"Good evening Dr. Golden," the man said softly.

"Come in, come in Bishop Bourn, Mrs. Bourn," Dr. Golden ushered the couple upstairs where the family was playing a game with the children.

"I wished to speak with you privately," the Bishop requested. Dr. Golden quickly accepted the opportunity and soon the men were behind the closed door of his study.

"It seems a few people heard L a few days ago," Bishop Bourn said. Dr. Golden stood sat up rigidly and ran his hand over his face.

"How bad is it Frederick?" He asked.

"Mrs. Young heard the whole argument from her sitting room window, she was the only one there, but she discussed it with Mr. Young and they are both determined for it not to spread," he explained. "My wife and I heard from our dining room, we were having a late dinner, the children had already been put to bed. The Merson's are the last. You know how they love L and Lydia," he said. "They are keeping silent, as we all are."

"Thank you for letting me know," Dr. Golden said.

"How are the sisters doing?" Frederick asked. "I know their arguments are not often," he laughed a little. Dr. Golden only smiled tiredly.

"Lydia is most contrite," he said. "She has apologized, and they have made up. L is even making a dress for the baby. She is excited." He sighed. "I will have to discuss this with the Paines and L. L might decide she must move on for her safety."

"Is L's husband really all that bad?" Bishop Bourn couldn't help but ask.

"From my understanding, he is a force to be reckoned with," Dr. Golden said. "He and L have faced off a few times, but the man is always the one to come out on top."

"Our families should have dinner soon," the man said with a nod. "I hope it will help put L's mind at ease."

Scarlett was nearly frantic that people knew a bit of her background. She felt like a bit of a dunce for forgetting to close that window. The Goldens convinced her and India to wait until the proposed dinner before Scarlett could gather her things and run off again.

Two nights later, the four families gathered for their dinner and Scarlett's mind was eased by the promise of their discretion. If she had been anywhere else she would not have believed the people, but these people were too trustful sometimes. She was surprised they had not cast or sold her out after learning the bit about her past. They were very forgiving; it was something she was learning from them, and India was happy to help her learn it too.

"We are different," India said one morning while the both of them were hanging out laundry. "Can you believe that we are cooking our own meals, washing our own clothes?" She laughed. "We would have a maid and a cook do those things for us back in Atlanta." Scarlett sighed.

"I miss Mammy though," she said, taking down the dried clothing. "She would yell at me for burning my skin and make me take a milk bath." Scarlett looked up at the sky while the sun beamed down at them.

"It seems the sun is no help to turning your hair back," India laughed. "It only makes it lighter. We can truly be mistaken for sisters."

"We _are_ ," Scarlett laughed. "We are different too," Scarlett agreed. "I love taking care of my own children instead of their nursery maid back in Atlanta."

Scarlett noticed a few of her dresses had become too worn to repair without being too obvious. If she had been who she was in Atlanta, she would have cast the dresses off after wearing for a third time, but she was L in Salt Lake and she did her best to fit in with the city's society, so she bought three nearly plain dresses to replace her worn out ones, and donated her used dresses to another sewing circle for quilting or other things.

Little Rhett had been smiling at passerby behind his mother's skirts and charming both men and women with his little smile and captivating emerald eyes. The dressmaker, Mrs. Tilden, was taken in by her son every time, and little Rhett blushed at the attention. He was something different from both his parents. He was a little shy with strangers, but once he got to know someone he captured them with his polite manners and charm.

Scarlett did not know how the dressmaker was able to produce such fine clothing, the woman had large round bifocals that were thicker than her index finger. The woman was her favorite though. Sometimes Scarlett dropped by to talk about stitches to use for the quilt she was learning to make, and the woman offered her scraps for free when Mrs. Tilden could have been making money off of them instead.

"It is not Christian-like to be greedy," the dressmaker always said, and Scarlett was always sobered by her phrase. She was always sure to give her sincere thanks, and even offered the woman her first quilt if it came out alright. Mrs. Tilden only smiled and sent her on her way.

Scarlett was looking and showing little Rhett the apple baskets at Mr. Worthington's when she heard humming a little ahead of her. The little girl had the most beautiful curls and Scarlett's eyes grew wider at them. Her sudden movement caught the girl's attention and she turned her bright blue eyes to look at her. She showed some confusion before she was called away.

"Bonnie." Scarlett completely turned and hid her son's face in her curls. She made as quickly as she could as to not be noticeable, to the dressmaker's again. Her husband and daughter's voice followed her the whole way there.

"Quick, Betty," Scarlett whispered hurriedly. "Give me your glasses and your darkest crepe for a veil."

"Wha-"

"Quickly, he is coming!" Scarlett said a little frantically. The woman hurriedly pulled out her spare glasses, and pinned some crepe fabric onto Scarlett's bonnet.

"Go through the back," She said. "Quickly before this man sees." Scarlett made it to the back in time to hear the man's entrance and his voice soon after.

"Did a woman come in here? She has dark hair, and green eyes," he explained a little hurriedly. She quickly left and ran with little Rhett toward Joseph's office. She heard Bonnie's voice some way behind her and felt her husband's stare on her back before she ducked inside.

"L wha-"

"Lydia!" Scarlett called, rushing towards the back followed by Joseph. "Keep Rhett hidden," she instructed her sister. "I do not know why, but Rhett is here," she said a little franticly. She heard India's gasp and Joseph inhale sharply.

"You may have found something of my husband's things that were lost at sea," she quickly explained to him and slipped on Mrs. Tilden's bifocals as Joseph carefully led the woman out of his back room.

"I am so sorry, Mrs. Bruet," he said, sounding deeply apologetic to the weeping woman sitting across from him while his desk separated them. "We really thought it was his pocket watch that had been recovered.

"May I help you, Sir," he asked while handing Scarlett's his handkerchief. She could feel Rhett's burning stare, and it only made her weep more. If he found her out now, then she would surely lose another baby to him. "Please L," Joseph said, becoming truly worried and left his seat to kneel beside her. "If you make yourself sick from crying, Lydia will have my head and I'll end up sleeping on the dining room table again. Your sister can be truly vindictive!"

It seemed like Rhett almost believed them, but then he made a move toward her, and Joseph stood up and glared.

"Is there anything I can help you with, Sir?" He asked, stressing each word. "Or do you enjoy taking pleasure in viewing another's pain?" Joseph whispered. Scarlett shook so much with her weeping that her glasses fell into her lap. "Let me help with that L," Joseph said softly and carefully helped her guide them back to her face without removing the veil.

"Mama!" They heard little Rhett scream.

"Oh," Scarlett said something for the first time. The crying had made her voice a little hoarse, and she was glad she practiced losing her southern accent. "I promised to bake my son an apple pie, and he is probably expressing himself," she said, jumping to her feet…her heart fell. She was nearly halfway toward the back when she tripped over her own feet.

"Let me help," Joseph said. "It seems you are forever clumsy, and I will not have you hurt yourself under my care. I would never hear the end of it from Lydia," he joked with her. Scarlett managed to give a half-hearted laugh.

 _A few minutes earlier_

"Bonnie," Rhett called his daughter. "What are you doing here?"

"I only wanted an apple, Daddy, but," she turned and found the woman gone. "There was a lady who had eyes like Mommy."

"What did she look like?" He asked, quickly looking around.

"Well, she was wearing black," Bonnie explained. Rhett quickly spotted a woman entering the dressmakers with a small child over her shoulder and headed that way before his daughter could go on. He rushed away, but the store owner called and pointed to the apple his daughter was holding. Rhett hastily apologized and overpaid the man before heading to the dressmaker's store again.

"Did a woman come in here?" He asked the woman. "She has dark hair and green eyes," he explained.

"There have been many dark-haired ladies, Sir," Mrs. Tilden answered. "Though I can say that none had green eyes, just the usual blue or brown."

The man deflated before asking, "May I ask who the woman in here was just before I entered?"

"That would have been Mrs. Bruet, but she had some urgent business," Mrs. Tilden said. "She had dallied long enough at the fruit stand with her son before asking me about the quilt she's making." He missed the woman's interest in Bonnie. The girl looked exactly like Mrs. Bruet, but with dark hair and blue eyes. She almost commented but the gentleman and daughter left before he spotted something again and rushed away.

The woman was weeping terribly when he caught her up in the general clerk's office. Seeing Mrs. Bruet up close rather than from far away had his heart in his throat. He wanted to grab her, run back home with her, and beg her to be Scarlett.

'Please be Scarlett,' he thought. He had seen one woman too many who greatly resembled his wife up close, and this woman seemed, by far, the most familiar. 'If only she would stop that crying!' He though a little irritated. 'Scarlett never wept that much.' He made a move to shake her to stop the tears, but the man stopped him and glared.

That was when the woman's glasses fell off. Scarlett did not wear glasses. A child screamed and his heart clenched at the sound…she spoke in a voice that was not his Scarlett's…then she tripped over her own feet and was apparently clumsy.

His heart fell to his knees with disappointment.

o.O.o

"I am very sorry," Rhett said softly when Joseph returned. "I seem to have mistaken Mrs. Bruet for someone close to me."

"My sister-in-law is a very private person and I'm afraid your presence during our meeting only upset her more," Joseph said tersely, then sighed. "I suppose it is my fault for not locking the door. If I may ask, do you have any business here?"

"Yes," Rhett nodded. "It seems that I have been contacted for a business proposal."

"Ah," Joseph said. "I know which you are talking about, but it seems that the chairman, Lyle Hurt, is out sick today. I think he requested L to take his place," Joseph said, looking at him pointedly. "Otherwise you will have to wait three days till the doctor allows him out of bed to discuss business."

"Please give the Madam my sincerest apologies," Rhett said. "I completely understand if she is not up to filling in for Mr. Hurt."

"My, aren't you a pretty one," Joseph smiled at the girl, giving her his attention. She did look exactly like Scarlett, except for her eyes. Scarlett had told him Bonnie had her Pa's eyes, and their fierce spirit. He could see it when the girl preened at his compliment, and he could not but help to smile at her.

"I think I might have a little something right here for you," Joseph said with a mysterious voice that captured the girl's complete attention. "I seemed to have misplaced it though," he kept playing, searching through his desk drawers and searching through his pockets with exaggeration. He nearly laughed at the girl's pout. 'Exactly like L,' he thought.

"Oh my," he said disappointedly. "It seems that if I cannot find it in this last pocket," he said while patting his breast pocket, "you won't get your gift and it may have go to my niece and nephews instead."

"But you said it's mine," Bonnie frowned.

"I did, did I not?" Joseph asked. "Hmm, let me see." He opened his breast pocket and looked into it dramatically and gave a small laugh. "Look at that," he pulled out a short stick of black licorice. "It was there the whole time," he teased, handing the candy to Bonnie.

He told Scarlett the story as many times as she requested, explaining in great detail the expressions that Bonnie gave. She savored the details, but it made him sorry that she had to suffer the loss of her daughter again. He could tell it was breaking her heart all over again.

"He is the business man Lyle Hurt is considering a contract with," Joseph said after Scarlett stopped asking him to repeat. "That is why he is here."

"I have to sit in on that meeting in an hour," Scarlett said, biting her lip.

"You cannot," India said with crossed arms. "Business meetings are no place for a woman."

"I promised Mr. Hurt to take extensive notes though," Scarlett said. "He trusts me to do this for him and I can hardly go back on my word."

"What about your handwriting?" India asked. "Surely if Captain Butler asks to see your notes he will know your writing."

Scarlett continued biting her lip before saying, "Bishop Bourn will be there too, he is Mr. Hurt's partner. We will have to explain the situation to him. I will have to do my best to write in a different hand."

Joseph summoned Frederick and they talked everything over. Bishop Bourn agreed to field questions for Scarlett, and made sure he did his best to keep her from having to say too much. He even agreed to seem slightly disapproving of her presence at the meeting and to make her cry if she was asked too many questions so she could leave early. He did not particularly approve of that last part, but agreed to it anyway.

Scarlett accompanied Bishop Bourn into the small meeting room a few hours later, the man with a slightly disapproving face, and he polity introduced them to Mr. Butler before pulling out her chair for her and seated himself beside her at the desk. He handed her the inkwell and quill so she could start writing.

Mr. Butler became a little agitated and Mrs. Bruet's hair was down. It seemed like he was expressing displeasure at the way she chose to wear her hair, so Bishop Bourn made a subtle comment about it not being proper for such a meeting. Rhett glared at the man in return.

He was only giving the woman attention because her hair was obscuring most of her face, and the thick veil kept him from seeing her as he wanted to. Was Mrs. Bruet as pale as Scarlett was? Was her skin darker because of the desert sun? He wanted to rip the gloves off her hands. This woman seemed to be capturing his full attention without even trying.

"May I ask why Mrs. Bruet's presence is needed here if she is not going to talk?" Rhett asked with irritation.

"Mr. Hurt asked L to be here to take detailed notes for him," Frederick said with a frown. "I cannot see why it is needed, personally, but Mrs. Bruet takes _acceptable_ ," he said the word dubiously, "notes."

"May I ask what your position is in this company?" Rhett asked her and quickly added, "Mrs. Bruet."

"I am merely a personal friend of Mr. Hurt," Scarlett replied carefully in a low voice that was a tone lower then her normal, but did not feel unnatural all the same.

"One might think too hard on that statement," Rhett said pointedly. Scarlett reddened with the implication.

"Now see here!" Frederick banged his fist on the desk and glared at the man. "Mrs. Bruet and Mr. Hurt are completely respectable people, and to imply that a woman in _mourning_ -" he was caught off guard by the sound of Scarlett's sobs as she got up to run.

"Now see what you have done," Rhett accused. He wanted this woman to stop being so weak and act like his Scarlett so he could convince her to be his. "You have gone and made the woman cry!" He grabbed her shoulder to keep her from running.

"I made her cry?" Frederick asked, trying to step between them. "You are the one who implied-" Scarlett finally wrenched her shoulder free from Rhett's grip, but she overbalanced on her feet and found herself falling the other way.

"L!"

"Scarlett!"

Frederick was quicker to her side while Rhett stood frozen to his spot. "She is bleeding!" He gasped. Rhett looked quickly at the corner of the window where Mrs. Bruet's head had struck and saw the blood trailing down the wall.

He paled and nearly swayed at the sight.

"What is going on here?" Joseph came barreling into the room.

"Quick Joseph," Frederick said, lifting up the woman and handing her to her brother-in-law. "Get her to her Uncle quickly. She hit her head and it is bleeding quite profusely." When the two were gone, he turned his glare onto the pale man. "What were you doing grabbing the woman's shoulder like that?" He asked. "I am a personal friend of her Uncle Golden, and I know she is not acquainted enough with you to take such liberties!"

"She is not Scarlett," Rhett sat hard into his seat with his head in his hands.

"Of course she is not, she is L!" Frederick exclaimed. He looked closely at the shaking man.

"That is not Scarlett," Rhett reiterated.

"Daddy?" Frederick saw the tears in the man's eyes when he lifted his head and his chest clenched with sympathy. He needed to leave before he gave away L. He needed to remember her words from that night. He turned and faced the girl and nearly gasped at her resemblance to her mother.

"Did you see the lady in black too, Daddy," the girl asked, referring to the woman who had just left. "She looks like me, right?"

"What do you mean?" Rhett asked his daughter quickly.

"I tried to tell you earlier," Bonnie pouted, "but you took off after her before I could. So, did you see her then? She looks like me but with green eyes and pretty hair that's the color of my dress." She pointed to her pale-yellow dress.

Frederick saw the puzzle in Mr. Butler's eyes before quietly slipping out.

* * *

 _O.O oh my…I do wonder what's going to happen next!_

 _Sorry for that tease, but just had to…write it..._

 _Anyway, the next chapter_ will _be up on Monday. I've even set an alarm on my mobile to remind me (~.^)_


	6. The Pieces

_Eight am, Monday morning and I feel bright eyed and bushy-tailed (^.^)…I'm even going to attempt to ferret out all my grammar mistakes from this chapter! Yay for me! Lol…_

 _Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter! …I hope…_

* * *

 _ **The Pieces**_

* * *

Mr. Golden and Joseph hurried to empty their bank accounts before the bank closed. Mrs. Golden and their neighbors were helping to pack up a few trunks. Scarlett was laid up in bed, but delivering orders to everyone.

"Mr. Young, your father has asked about my store a few times," she said to the man. "Go and tell him to bring as much money as he can this time of day and tell him to hurry here quickly." The man nodded and ran as fast as he could.

Only clothes were packed into the trunks, everything else would be left behind. Scarlett, India, Joseph, and the children were leaving on the next wagon train heading toward Texas that very evening, and the Goldens were heading east by train to the coast. They would all meet up in Ipswich, England.

The Goldens refused to let Scarlett leave them behind, so she had them travel the easiest route for their age. Though they would travel to France before traveling to England. They were to call it a second honeymoon.

"Do you not think we are leaving too fast?" India asked. "He will be suspicious."

"Rhett is already suspicious," Scarlett said. "It is best we get a head start before he puts the puzzle together. No doubt the laudanum accident was a God-send," she said to herself and India. "You do not have to come," she said to her.

"When Rhett finds out, he will find you, and your brother will too," Scarlett said. "You can see your family again, and Mellie," she said with tear-filled eyes.

"I love them Scarlett," India said with a sad smile, "but my adventure is yet to be over."

"India," Scarlett said. "If anything happens to me I want you and Joseph to take all my children and run." India looked slightly scared. She had noticed Scarlett quickly sewing her jewelry into her dresses like they had done back in Atlanta, but Scarlett had barely sewn anything into her own hems.

o.O.o

Mr. Butler looked around for Frederick Bourn, but the man had gone, and the man was upset with him for taking liberties with a woman in mourning. A woman he hardly knew. A woman who looked like his Bonnie, but with green eyes and hair the color of her dress.

It was just coincidence.

The woman was everything contrary to Scarlett.

She was clumsy.

She cried.

She was so _weak_!

What was that woman doing in a business meeting, taunting him for not being _his_ Scarlett?

He should apologize for treating her so horribly. The delicate woman would surely be afraid of him now whereas Scarlett would have surely abused him in return, it needed to be done though because this L was not his wife.

He easily found Mrs. Bruet's home and store. It was an odd sight, seeing a home attached to the store in such a way, but it oddly fit together. He knocked on the door and a young woman answered.

"May I help you, Sir," she asked. Rhett noticed the movement behind her.

"I was hoping to call on Mrs. Bruet," he said. "I am Rhett Butler." The movement in the house stopped abruptly and a man came to the door.

"I'm sorry," he said, not sounding sorry at all. "L is indisposed at the moment," he said pointedly. Rhett had the heart to look ashamed.

"I wanted to apologize in person," he said. "I hope I can catch her at a good time later. May I ask what is going on?" Rhett asked, looking at all the furniture being moved around. The man looked reluctant to answer.

"It is family business," he finally said. "That is all I can say." Rhett nodded and turned, hearing the door close at his back.

He headed back into the main part of the city to find Bonnie, Dr. Meade, and Masako, but headed for his room at an inn instead. He rested his head and closed his eyes. It was not long until he heard the group coming back into their rooms, but Bonnie was tired out from being outside all day, and he was just tired and allowed himself rest.

"I met Mrs. Bruet today," Rhett said to Dr. Meade the next morning over breakfast.

"The woman who had the accident with the laudanum," the doctor stated. "Is her color change permanent?" He asked curiously.

Rhett stopped eating.

He quickly grabbed onto the table before bolting out of the room.

 _Late afternoon_ before _Rhett's morning…_

"What are you doing Scarlett?" India asked. "Everyone is ready to go and you are still in bed."

"It hurts to move," Scarlett said with frustration. "You all need to go ahead of me. I will have make my own way in the morning."

"We cannot leave you behind," India said with wide eyes.

"You have to," Scarlett said, looking a bit green. "I told you I will meet you all in Ipswich, it is going to take a while for me to move on my own."

"You can stay in the wagon-"

"And slow you down until Rhett's able to catch up," Scarlett said. "You all need to go as planned," she pressed.

"The wagon will be practically empty except for myself!" India yelled. Scarlett tried to get up but ended up vomiting at her bedside.

"You have to go without me," Scarlett said weakly after she finished. "Please." India understood how sick her head injury was making her and nodded. "I will leave in the morning when I am mostly better. Wait for me to write you, do not write to me." India looked like she wanted to cry. Scarlett reached to pull her into a hug. "You know I have never gotten along with any other girl except for Mellie, and now you."

"And look how long that took us," India gave a wet laugh.

"Go on now," Scarlett smiled sadly. "The wagons are not going to wait."

She turned and cried into her pillow at the sound of the front door closing. It would only make her head ache worse than it was already but she couldn't help it. The house, her home away from home, was quiet. The stillness tore at her heart. She longed for the laughter of her sons and daughter, the sound of Mrs. Golden singing to them.

' _When the house is full, my heart is full_.' Scarlett remembered her saying something very similar when they first met. Now, as she lay in her dark room thinking upon those words, she knew for herself how true Mrs. Golden's words were.

Her dreams were riddled with nightmares and she could hardly sleep. She managed to dress herself and make toast, but it turned her stomach horribly. Dr. Golden's cane was left by the front door. She touched the wood before using it to keep her stable. It took a while to make it to the station, but arrived five minutes after the ticket booth opened. She purchased her ticket and sat to wait for the train.

It took a while for her to hear the whistle and she stood up to be ready to board, struggling to get to her feet and balance. The cane was hardly helpful but it was better than having nothing to help. She almost jumped when she felt _his_ arm steady her.

"Are you sure you should be out of bed in this condition, Mrs. Bruet?" He asked. She was silent. "It was odd," he continued, ignoring her silence. "I called on you this morning, but your home is empty, no one was there." Scarlett tried to speak but ended up gagging. She could see Rhett's concern for her through the thick veil.

"You really should be back in bed," he admonished, leading her away from the train. She tried to struggle, but it ended up being a struggle to lean away so she wouldn't soil his clothes with her meager breakfast. He held back her veil so she would not get it soiled either, but also so he could finally see her face.

His Scarlett's face.

 _Finally_.

"Where is my son?" He asked. Scarlett thought about all the routes the wagons could have taken to Texas, but she knew not the route the train had taken. So many possibilities and she had not the time to look into it.

"I do not know," she answered. Rhett's lips thinned.

"You are lying," he said.

Scarlett looked up into his eyes and said again, "I really do not know." He shook her and she could not stand up any longer with the dizziness and her growing headache.

"What is going on here?" She heard Bishop Bourn.

"This is between me and my wife," Rhett hissed. "You will tell me-" he started.

" _Now_ this is between us," Bourn interrupted. "A man should know better than to manhandle his wife." Rhett laughed.

"You have no idea what goes through that pretty little head of hers," he retorted. "I assure you, you would do the same if you knew her as well as I do."

"I know her better than you," Bourn said. "You claim to be her husband, but a man like you cannot possibly know."

"He will not understand," Scarlett finally spoke weakly. "We have wronged each other in so many ways he refuses to think I could ever change." Rhett barked out a laugh.

"You? Change?" He asked. "A leopard never changes his spots," he hissed, shaking her, but she refused to fight back when she always lost in the end. "What is wrong with you?" Rhett asked harshly. "You are this weak, clumsy," Scarlett couldn't help but vomit up more, "sickly, little woman!"

"Because you were the cause of her head injury, and it seems you are determined to make her more sick," Bishop Bourn hissed. Rhett's hand squeezed even tighter around her arms and she could not help but whimper with the pain.

The sun was coming up and she could feel her headache worsening. She longed for her dark room again. She could vaguely make out Rhett and Frederick arguing over her when the darkness she longed for came with a sharp stab through her skull.

"Scarlett?" Rhett called when she went completely limp in his arms. He quickly lifted her in his arms to carry, causing her bonnet to fall to reveal the gash and a black bruise coloring her pale skin.

He heard himself cry out at the sight.

Scarlett found herself in familiar surroundings. Her room was dark, she thought maybe she had dreamed up seeing Rhett. She would open her door and see Mrs. Golden entertaining Ella because her daughter always woke up before Scarlett.

The sun had mostly gone down so the brightness did not cause Scarlett's head to ache so much. She supposed she should get started on a late dinner for herself. She was nearly done when she heard the front door open and close and nearly expected to see India, but the man standing in the kitchen's doorway surprised her so much, that she dropped the plate in her hands.

She quickly grabbed the broom to sweep up the porcelain while he watched in fascination. She wished he would stop watching. She had to quickly knead the bread dough that had been rising and put it in the brick oven.

He continued watching while she worked.

She finally found a few minutes to sit down and rest her head before she smelled the chicken in the oven getting done. She slowly rose to take it out and sighed. It really was too much food for one person…or two…but she supposed she could share it with the Youngs so it would not go to waste.

She threw a few small pebbles sitting on the sill of her open window and called out to Mrs. Young.

"Please come over to eat, if you can," she said. "It seems I have made too much!" Martha Young laughed and said her family would be there in a few minutes. Scarlett turned to find her daughter looking at her and nearly gasped aloud.

"Are you my Mommy?" Bonnie asked quietly. Scarlett could only stare in awe of her daughter before the Young children burst into the room, chattering.

"Auntie L!" Little Michael called and started chatting about a frog too fast for her to keep up. She merely smiled.

"Michael," She said softly. "I am still not well from my accident so you are going to have to start over and please speak more slowly."

"Who's she?" he asked pointing at Bonnie and completely forgetting about his frog. Scarlett smiled at her daughter and opened her arms to hug her tightly.

"This is my daughter, Bonnie," Scarlett answered while looking into her daughter's eyes. Every one paused when they heard an odd sound.

"Michael," Scarlett said warningly. "You are hiding something from me." Michael tried to look too innocent.

"It's a surprise," he smiled. Scarlett raised an eyebrow.

"Does this surprise," she said slowly, "happen to be," she waited for a moment, "a tickle war!" Michael squealed with laughter as she pulled him into her arms to tickle with Bonnie.

"Ah!" Scarlett squealed with laughter when a frog hopped out of his pocket. "You little trouble maker!"

Martha laughed as she watched as her husband, Mrs. Bruet, and the children try to catch the frog. She frowned at the man while he watched L.

"I call Uncle!" Scarlett cried, when the children piled up on her. She was finally able to make it to the kitchen in time to take out the bread and found a few more moments to rest her aching head.

"Oh, L," Martha sighed. "You should be in bed right now."

"I had to get dinner done," Scarlett said quietly with her eyes closed. Martha hummed in reply.

Scarlett really did wish he would stop looking at her.

There was a knock on the front door downstairs and she looked up in confusion.

"I'll get it," Mr. Young volunteered. Scarlett got up to set the table with little Daria Young's help when she felt another pair of eyes on her.

"Uncle Arthur!" She gasped while holding onto the table for support. Martha rushed to help her into a chair and Dr. Meade was at her side in a few strides. He examined the gash and asked a few questions that she did not have the mind to answer, and he admonished her for being out of bed. She pulled away and turned to chat quietly with Mr. and Mrs. Young while they finished setting the table and gathering the children to sit.

It was quiet, and slightly uncomfortable for the adults, but the three adults took to entertaining the children while the other two watched the former dark-haired woman in confusion and amazement.

"Can you sing to me tonight?" Daria asked Scarlet. "You sing to Ella and Rhett more than me," she slightly pouted.

"Auntie L needs her rest," Martha protested, but Daria looked about to cry and Scarlett soothed her. She pulled the girl up onto her lap.

" _My Bonnie lies over the ocean_ ," she started singing, " _My Bonnie lies over the sea_ , _My Bonnie lies over the ocean_ , _Oh bring back my Bonnie to me…Last night when I lay on my pillow, I dreamed that we were wed, Bring back, bring back, Bring back my Bonnie to me..._ "

"Isn't that Rhett's favorite?" Daria asked sleepily. Martha carefully took up her daughter and the family left to settle their children for bed.

"Can you sing it again?" Bonnie asked. Scarlett looked at her little girl. She was no longer a baby, but a growing girl and she had missed most of it. She quickly accepted and quietly sang to her baby daughter, holding her just as tightly as she had longed to for years.

When she was able to rest her head, she sighed in relief. It had been a long evening, but she needed to sleep off her headache. She vaguely heard her door open and close softly, but chose to ignore it in favor of the sweet oblivion of sleep.

"Who are you?" Scarlett heard someone speak, but didn't catch the words.

"India," she slurred, taken with her sleep. "Is Joseph snoring again?" She heard an inelegant snort and scooted over pulling the blankets down while moving. "He will sound better in the morning."

The laughter reached her ears but she ignored that too in favor of sleep and oblivion, no pain in her skull. She felt India climb in bed with her and felt her arms go around her, but she was too tired to say anything about how odd that was.

 _That morning at the Train Station_

Frederick Bourn had quickly become a thorn in Mr. Butler's side. The man's disapproval of Scarlett was a complete front that he had fallen for. The man was actually protective of Rhett's wife because his own wife was _fond_ of her. He did not know whether to be amused or angry that Scarlett had blended in so well with people in this closed community, and the women actually _accepted_ her as one of their own.

"L!" He heard a woman gasp and rush to check over Scarlett. He pulled her tighter against his chest and glared down at the small woman.

"Cammie, that man is-"

"Oh hush Frederick!" She said. "We are supposed to be seeing to L till she is well and I am not about to shirk my duties because this big lout has his best rope all knotted up!" Rhett's lips slowly lifted before he barked out a laugh. This woman had gumption!

He allowed her to lead them back to Scarlett's home and ignored the man while they waited for Cammie Bourn to dress Scarlett in her bedclothes.

"Nothing can be done because you have rights as her husband," Bourn said, highly displeased. "What I witnessed this morning, your treatment of L, I will call you out if it continues. I know a few men and women who would not hesitate to call you out, and the husbands will not hesitate to stand in for their women,"

"You do not know her," Rhett said harshly.

"You think I know not that she can be a bit conceded when her vanity is not checked?" Bishop Bourn asked. "That L has a head for business that would put a man to shame, but let her Uncle speak for her because she chose to follow society's guidelines? That she tended to ignore her own nephew and daughter when she first arrived because the children were too energetic and irritated her? Oh, I know all that. We _all_ know that, but we saw her change. We give her something that you cannot possibly give, I suspect!"

"And what is that?" Rhett asked smartly.

" _Respect_!" The man said furiously. "She earned it from us, and we never held back on giving it as you seem to be!" Rhett laughed sarcastically.

"I cannot believe how good an actress my wife can be!" He continued laughing, then became serious. "That woman deserves no respect," he hissed. "When I find my son I will give her the divorce I promised and find my children a better mother! A kitten would be a better mother than that woman!"

Frederick Bourn stood up stiffly and seemed to look down at Mr. Butler from the tip of his nose, though he was nearly a head shorter. "You seem to have made an enemy of a righteous man," he spoke so low in his fury. "You will find no willing ally here. Be gone man!" Cammie had come out of the room before that point and was listening to the men with widened eyes, and allowed her husband to lead her out of the house.

"What are we going to do?" Cammie asked, trying not to cry. "We can't leave L with him!"

"We cannot take the man's wife," Bishop Bourn said. "But we can be willing to aid her when she asks."

"What do you mean?" Cammie asked.

"I am going to attempt to meet with a man in L's acquaintance who might offer help," Bishop Bourn said and left it at that.

Rhett stormed out of the house an hour after they had left. He needed Scarlett to be seen by Dr. Meade but he would have the doctor attend to her that evening. He walked for hours thinking over the changes he had seen in Scarlett so far.

The woman was a mighty good actress to have fooled even this people. He seemed to have made an enemy already just by telling the truth about Scarlett instead of extolling in her virtues! He hardened his resolve to show everyone the true Scarlett.

He made his way back to Scarlett's home after his decision to the rich scents of dinner, only stopping to carry his napping daughter with him and letting the doctor know he needed to see to Scarlett when he was done with his language lessons for Masako. He forgot he had barely eaten anything at all that day. Maybe he could convince the maid or cook to give him a bit of cheese and bread to hold him off.

He entered the kitchen to find _his_ wife at the source of all the preparations…preparations that she was doing on her own. He amused himself with watching her clean up her own mess. If this continued, then she would not last too long in the act! The woman was as spoiled as a child and adult, and to think she could change now!

His amusement was slowly turning into stunned silence as she continued working. Scarlett would have given up at kneading the bread, but when she was determined, she could do things he had not thought possible of her.

When Bonnie had woken up and politely questioned Scarlett the mother could only stare at her daughter with a familiar hunger in her eyes. A hunger that was normally directed toward the prospect of more money in her greedy little hands. It made him pause with confusion.

Rhett thought she was finally showing her true colors when the Young family came in with noise and all. He knew her head had to be aching something horrible and the children would only make it worse, but when she paid particular attention to the boy she would have normally looked down her nose at until he shied away or cried for his mother, Rhett was left with more mind-boggling pieces of this other Scarlett. He could no longer recognize _his_ wife.

She was playing with the children, even her daughter happily joined in with her mother and wasn't being ignored by the woman.

She was merrily chasing after a frog and was even the one to catch it! She did not even scold the boy for bringing such a gross thing into her home!

She hardly noticed her Godfather's arrival. Dr. Meade was awed by the transformation of his spoiled Goddaughter. When she finally did notice Arthur, she greeted him informally and allowed him to check her over in stunned silence and continued talking with the couple while they gathered the children for dinner.

He noticed how she gave the children equal attention, even their daughter. Bonnie reveled in it, and Rhett wondered who this woman was.

She was not _his_ Scarlett!

This woman was a lady! A lady like Melanie Wilkes. Except that even Melanie Wilkes did not cook!

This woman sang. She told her daughter a story and sang again when she tucked her into Ella's bed. She remembered to leave a light on for Bonnie, except that Bonnie had not complained of the dark since she was five.

"Who are you?" He asked the sleeping woman. He laughed at her silliness of believing him to be Ashley's sister India, but could not resist the invitation to join her in her bed. He found himself gathering her long silky hair and covering his throat with it, but her hair was no longer dark like it had been before the accident. It had changed with her and he knew not who this woman was.

* * *

 _This chapter feels short…then again, all my chapters do. Well…three chapters left after this one!_

 _I'll try to put up the next chapter on Thursday, but…my allergies got to me this week and I ended up not being able to turn in a few assignments so I'm going to have to double time it this week. If nothing is up this Thursday, then it will surely be up on Sunday or Monday._


	7. His Wife

_Eep! ...well…it's not Thursday anymore, but…7am and I remembered I was going to put up this chapter yesterday…and I'm doing it today instead…_

* * *

 ** _His Wife_**

* * *

Scarlett was the first to wake up that day with his arms wrapped around her. She blushed horribly that she had mistaken him for India. India found she could not sleep with her husband's snoring, but she could not sleep alone either. Scarlett was the solution to India's problem. She quickly rose, not caring if Rhett did wake up, and set her water pitcher out in the hall.

Rhett did wake when she rose.

She didn't bother to be careful to not awaken him. He looked a little triumphant when she placed her pitcher in the hall, expecting it to be filled for her morning toilet. Though, instead of coming back to bed, she collected Bonnie's pitcher, and brought a set into the room for him, and collected their three pitchers.

He followed her outside and watched her fill them from a pump. He wanted to grab her and shake her, demanding for her to drop the act, but he would not be able to stand the beam in her eyes if he let her win. He went back to bed, but his daughter glared back at him when he sat.

"You didn't catch Mommy," she said angrily, and stomped back to her room. Scarlett worriedly stared at the door slammed by her daughter, and almost went to her, but stepped back and placed his filled pitcher inside the basin.

"Here are some clean towels and a new block of soap," she said quietly, and prepared to leave.

"I want you to bathe me," Rhett said. He watched the bright blush staining her cheeks. Oh, this wretched delicate little thing that had replaced his wife! She shied away before building her courage to do as he demanded, but he grabbed the bathing equipment and stormed into another room.

By the time he came out, Scarlett had breakfast cooking and she was mending up a dress. When had she learned to sew? Bonnie watched her mother with a familiar gleam of hunger in her eyes. Hunger that he knew was being quenched by watching her Mama's every move.

"All done," Scarlett smiled at her daughter and helped her into the dress.

"Isn't it a bit plain?" Bonnie pouted at the lack of ribbons and laces.

"All things in moderation," Scarlett repeated a well learned lesson to her daughter. Rhett nearly stormed at her, but the look of furry and disappointment on his daughter's face that morning stopped him.

He would show her moderation.

He could see the slight wear in her faded black dress and an idea formed in his head. Scarlett would go unchecked at the milliners. The dressmaker he was at the day before would be the perfect place to bring out his Scarlett.

The people in the streets greeted Scarlett warmly, ignored the man, and cooed over Bonnie when Scarlett introduced them. Rhett did his best to be charming, but these people snubbed him. How did his suave charms not work on them? Scarlett did not even have to bat an eyelash, and they were all over her! Even the women!

"Hello again Betty," Scarlett greeted the dressmaker when they arrived. She introduced her family and Rhett finally thought this was a woman he could charm. Money could charm anyone. He picked out expensive fabrics he knew would suit his wife, ribbons, and laces, but the more expensive the fabric, the grimmer the woman became. Scarlett and she exchanged quiet words while Rhett looked around. Mrs. Tilden looked at Bonnie and Scarlett meaningfully, but Scarlett only shook her head and tried not to cry.

"It is not Christian-like to be greedy," she whispered, repeating the woman's phrase. "I wish I could have all my children, but that would only enrage the beast." Mrs. Tilden's lips thinned.

"Oh Scarlett," she said a bit too loud. "I worked all night on the dresses you ordered yesterday." Rhett paused while the woman left to bring them out.

"You really should not have done so!" Scarlett protested. "I would have been happy to wait the proper amount of time like everyone else." Rhett wanted to shake her yet again and demand to have the woman he married back.

"Here we go," Mrs. Tilden said. "Just the way you wanted them." Scarlett thanked her while feeling the fabric of the plain black dresses.

"She will not be taking those," Rhett said authority.

"Betty worked all night on these," Scarlett said with a bit of frost edging her voice. "I will not suffer her to lose some business over her fine work." Scarlett paid the woman with a bit of her own pocket money while Rhett fumed. The whole point of this excursion was to get Scarlett _out_ of her widow's weeds, not to get her more!

Scarlett and Betty smirked at each other when he stormed out of the store. "I think Bonnie would love these fabrics," Scarlett said. "I am just fine with what I have." Bonnie lit up at her mother's words.

"It is not Christian-like to be greedy," Mrs. Tilden agreed, and measured Bonnie quickly. The girl frowned at the dressmaker's words and her mother's verbal agreement.

They met Rhett outside after a short amount of time and Scarlett lingered over the apple baskets before buying some for the pie little Rhett wanted. She was saddened by the fact he would not have gotten it by now. She longed to hold her other children in her arms, to see their faces, so she doted on her estranged daughter in their place, but was determined not to treat her any different then she treated Wade, Ella, or Rhett. Bonnie basked in her mother's attentions and Rhett grew bitter toward his wife for changing, for not being _his_ Scarlett.

"May I speak with Mrs. Bruet?" Rhett had answered the older man's call, but Scarlett was resting off her headache before starting on preparations for their midday meal.

"She is indisposed at the moment," Rhett answered stiffly. The man's eyes hardened a little.

"I see," he said. "My knocking was just a formality. Mrs. Bruet sold me her establishment yesterday, you see, and I need to discuss particulars with her at the moment."

"Mr. Young," Scarlett greeted politely. "I thought I heard you at the door. We can discuss particulars in my Uncle's- err- your study," she corrected herself and showed him the way, closely followed by Rhett.

"I rushed here this morning to offer you the full value of your business and home," Mr. Young said.

"Please," Scarlett said. "You gave what you could at the time and we agreed upon it. I cannot, in good faith, take more," she protested. Rhett listened to her protests in disbelief. She was actually refusing more money! The greed in her eyes for the cotton paper was completely absent.

He did not hear anymore after that, so stunned was he in his place that they continued their meeting without his presence.

"Mrs. Bruet," Mr. Young said as soon as the door was firmly shut. He showed her to a seat and took one across from her. "The community is fully at your service." Scarlett was confused. "The man has shown himself to be incompetent of properly seeing to the health and care of his wife.

"I am prepared, we all are, to aid you, to reunite you with your family," he said. Scarlett was speechless.

"How?" She asked. "He is always at my side or close, except when I have to rest my head," she winced at the reminder and longed for her pillow again. "I cannot accept your offer," she continued. "If you only knew the whole of it."

"Let me tell you something," Mr. Young said, standing to face the window with his hands clasped behind his back. "There was an outsider in our community. A widow. She was a cold, vain little thing, she cast aside her children, she shamed men in their businesses.

"Her sister was constantly on her feet, doing her best to curtail her sister's attitude. Their arguments were fierce!" He laughed. "But the widow slowly grew with her Aunt's guiding hand and her sister's methodical prodding.

"A dandelion is a scourge to healthy flowers. It chokes them, over takes their roots and drains them of their life. The widow grew from a dandelion into a rare, beautiful lily that could easily outshine others with her intellect and beauty. You truly are a lily, Mrs. Bruet.

"You were willing and able to learn from your mistakes, you grew from the spoiled southern belle, into a self-sufficient mother who knows and revels in the joys of watching her children grow," he said. "Do not let that man convince you that you have not changed, because you have. You know it, I know it, your friends know, and we love you all the more for it." Scarlett tried to dry her tears, but they keep coming.

"Your daughter is a beautiful child," he said off-handedly.

"She is," Scarlett agreed. "It hurts to think how much I have missed her grow from infancy. I wish I could bring her but Rhett would only search harder. I would lose my son and myself if I attempted to be so greedy."

"T'is a hard decision for a mother to make," the man said sadly, "but I understand when you explain it. Thank you for your time, Mrs. Bruet," he said. "When the opportunity comes, you will know."

"Thank you, Sir," Scarlett said. They exited to the younger Mr. Young and Rhett glaring at each other from across the room.

"You're really pretty," Michaels said to Bonnie.

"Thank you, I know," she said, slightly preening at his words.

"You don't have to sound so boastful about it," Michael said. "Everyone knows boasting is wrong." Rhett moved to correct the little boy, but Scarlett moved in faster.

"Michael," Scarlett scolded softly. "Boasting _is_ wrong," Bonnie looked crestfallen at her mother's words, "and Bonnie may not have meant to do so," she comforted Bonnie, and Rhett stopped scowling at _her_. "It is wrong, though, to correct your elders. They may look foolish, I should know because I have made a fool of myself too many times, but they have to be willing to accept correction before it is offered," she finished and both children were satisfied with their lesson.

Rhett glared at his surroundings.

"Auntie L, may I stay to play with Bonnie?" Michael asked when he noticed his father and Grandfather were prepared to leave.

"If your father says you may," Scarlett answered.

"I think it would be best if little Michael comes along with us," the older Mr. Young said. "You must take proper time to heal, young lady," he scolded Scarlett. "Your bruise looks darker today than it did yesterday. The women are currently on their way to see to the house and your matters for you," he informed her. "We all want you to get better, and it is best this way." He excused his family and himself and left.

"What is going on with you?" Rhett hissed in her ear as he shook her. Scarlett struggled to release herself.

"Daddy!" Bonnie screamed in fright. He abruptly released her and she fell to her knees, struggling to overcome the dizziness. "You're hurting Mommy!" She started crying.

"No, no Bonnie!" Scarlett denied right away. When she left again, Bonnie had to look up to Rhett as she always did. She couldn't allow her daughter to see him in this light. He had not always showed his anger so readily. "He wanted to spin me," she made up. "He is so happy that," she paused, and Rhett was mildly relieved that she was covering up his anger, but also weary that she would make him pay for it later. "That I am going to have help around the house," Scarlett said quickly. "There are going to be a few more children for you to play with, and if you want me, I will be just there," she pointed to her bedroom. "You will not even have to ask to come in to see me," she reassured her daughter.

"Auntie L!" A young woman called, entering the home without knocking. "You're up," she frowned. Three more women and two children came in and greeted Scarlett before ushering her into her bedroom with a few words of scolding. Two men came in after and made themselves comfortable in the drawing room.

Rhett was relieved that Dr. Meade and Masako came in with their trunks not an hour later. They were familiar faces to talk with, and it seemed Dr. Meade was not on everyone's black list. The locals were distant with the doctor, but grew a tad friendlier the longer they spent in each other's company.

Rhett himself decided to spend most of his time in Scarlett's room watching her sew small squares of fabric together to make a quilt. It was turning out to be a pretty thing.

"It is my first," Scarlett explained quietly. "Mrs. Tilden and I always talk about stitches for it."

"Why did you want to start something this boring?" he asked, knowing it took great patience that his wife would not normally have, or did not have before she left. She looked thoughtfully at the wall.

"I suppose it is because I wanted to create something beautiful again," she answered. Rhett was quick to catch the spark of vanity he saw.

"Beautiful?" He asked, wanting to light the fire.

"We do create beautiful children," she smiled softly. Rhett's face softened before it hardened. "Little Rhett takes after you," she said, "but he has my eyes." She was looking into her mind again. "He is nothing like us though." She kept that soft smile on her face. "He is a tad shy when he first meets someone, but then he has your charm and it catches them like flies to honey. He even flutters his eyelashes at the women and he suddenly has their heart," she laughed lightly with Rhett's booming laughter.

"I was so scared when he was born," she confided, and Rhett shivered to know that something terrible could have befallen her or his son. "He was so quiet and thoughtful. He still is. He never cried for anything then or now. That is what scared me most," she said, looking at her husband. "His cry for the first time chilled me to the bones!" She shivered. "He was hungry and I was so scared that something else was wrong, but he was just hungry," she repeated, as if to reassure herself of that incident in the past.

"What was the nursemaid doing?" Rhett asked stiltedly.

"Nursemaid?" Scarlett asked, then looked away quickly. Rhett quickly turned her head back and she could see that anger that was always there now, brimming at the surface. "I-He-I fed him," she stuttered with a light blush. "I did not want to share him like I had to share Bonnie with you. I did not want to take the chance of losing another baby," she said quickly.

'She had-she had fed his son from her breast,' he thought slowly.

"It was so amazing," she whispered with a slight hitch in her voice. "There is a connection mother and child gain through the experience. I have always lacked it with Wade, Ella, and Bonnie, but it grew as he did. If there is one wish I would want granted, it would be that I would have experienced this feeding with all my babies." He turned and she was crying. "I hate myself for allowing popularity and society to rob me of that one thing!"

"Mommy?" Bonnie asked, entering the room. "Did Daddy make you cry?" She asked, glaring at the man.

"No!" Scarlett quickly denied. "My head hurts so, and I supposed I should put out the candle because it is hardly helping any."

"So it's not Daddy's fault this time?" She asked while crawling into her mother's bed. Scarlett pulled her in the rest of the way and held her.

"No, it was not," Scarlett answered. "What do you mean this time?" She asked.

"Daddy didn't catch you when you fell," Bonnie said. "I saw it." Scarlett's breath hitched and she stared wide eyed at her pale husband.

"You saw the whole thing?" Scarlett asked breathlessly.

"Yes," Bonnie nodded. "In my dream," she said.

"Tell me your dream," Scarlett said softly.

"I've only ever told Aunt Mellie," Bonnie said. Rhett expected to see jealously in Scarlett's eyes, but only saw thankfulness, relief, and joy. "Daddy had you really hard by the shoulders and he let go and you fell down the stairs."

"Ah," Scarlett said. "I may not remember much before I hit my head," she said, "but I am fairly sure there were no stairs involved. So, it was not your father's fault that he could not catch me in time," Scarlett smiled.

"Really?" Bonnie asked with her bright blue eyes and turned them on her father.

"Really," Scarlett reassured her. Bonnie quickly hugged her Daddy and pulled him on the bed so she was sandwiched between them. She hugged her mama and reached to pull her daddy's arm around them and smiled when he complied.

"I want to stay like this forever!" Bonnie said happily. Scarlett struggled not to shake with the tears she hid in her daughter's hair, but when she looked up she was sure Rhett understood. His arms tightened around them as if to make sure she would never be able to get away again.

"You're hurting me, Daddy!" Bonnie complained. Rhett apologized and loosened his arms, but kept staring at his wife's light curls. He grabbed her hair, and placed it over his neck as his little women were lulled to sleep by his presence.

"It's here!" Scarlett had awoken to the children yelling and hid her face. She heard Rhett laugh above her. There was a hurried knock on her door before it opened.

"Come look at the new additions to Grandfather's farm!" The young woman said excitedly. "I think the sun has gone down enough for you to be outside for a few minutes," she chattered. "I'm sorry we didn't wake you for lunch. We did knock, but you all stayed asleep."

"That is fine, Diana," Scarlett laughed at the excited girl. "I am just going to freshen up before meeting you all outside." The girl frowned when Rhett chose to stay with his wife, but accompanied an excited Bonnie outside. "You should go see to Bonnie," she said. "I strongly suspect the new additions are the ponies that had been born a few months ago. They must be big enough for the children to enjoy," she mused.

He hesitated to leave her alone, but left to make sure Bonnie's overexuberance would not upset the horses. Scarlett had just finished drying her face when she heard a light knock on her window. She pulled aside the dark fabric to see Bishop Bourn and opened the window.

"Terribly sorry for this," he said. "But we should go now," he held out his hand. Scarlett only hesitated for a second before she quickly took it and climbed down the ladder after him. They were nearly to his horse when Scarlett saw something move out of the corner of her eye.

It was slithering toward the ponies and she noticed a familiar head of dark curls laughing as the horse trotted with her on its back. Scarlett cried out when she realized what would happen and ran as fast as her feet could carry her to her daughter.

She got to her just when the horse reared onto its hind legs in fright, and grabbed the collar of Bonnie's dress and pulled her off before the horse reared up and kicked with his hind legs. Scarlett felt her body explode with pain as she flew back, holding tightly to her baby. She could vaguely hear Rhett's own cry of distress.

"Bonnie?" Scarlett could barely see past the black dots clouding her vision, she knew she kept repeating her daughter's name.

"She is okay," Mrs. Young put her mind at ease. "Not a scratch on her."

Scarlett breathed a sigh of relief and let the blackness carry her away.

Rhett paced the drawing room while trying to ignore the uproar the house was in and the men watching him pace. Bonnie was in the nursery downstairs, leaving her father to worry and snap at anyone who could not tell him anything new about Scarlett's condition. It took forever for Dr. Meade to finally leave Scarlett's bedroom.

"She has a broken hip and rib," he announced. "I suspect that the rib has pierced her lung," he said lowly. "She is developing a fever, but if she catches an infection," he paused to take a breath, "she might not survive."

His whole world seemed to come crumbling.

His Scarlett.

He could lose her _again_.

This time he would not be able to chase after her. He _needed_ her like he needed air to breathe. He could _not_ lose her.

He could not _lose_ her!

He smashed his fist through the door and it broke through the wood like it was paper, and he used his other hand to do the same, but the pain did nothing to lessen the vice squeezing his heart. The other men that came with the women earlier reared back in fear.

He had punched through three inches of solid wood! _Twice_!

"Calm down man!" Dr. Meade yelled and tried to attends to his hands but Rhett pushed him aside and headed for the sparse woods near the store. He grabbed the nearest tree he could, wrapped his arms around the trunk, and slowly pulled and pulled and pulled. Some people were gasping behind him but he paid them no mind. The tree finally uprooted and he pushed it over. He did the same to three more trees before he finally fell on his knees in exhaustion.

"I was going to clear this spot anyway," he heard the older Mr. Young say. "I thank you for saving me the trouble of hitching up a team of horses to uproot the trees. Would you like to borrow an axe for wood? I suspect that we are going to have a harsh winter this year."

"Scarlett-" Rhett started, unaware of the large crowd that was dispersing now that he had finished.

"Is going to be fine. I am sure even though your friend is still in doubt," the older man said. "I wish I had as much strength at your age," he commented

"How can you be so sure?" Rhett ignored the man's comment.

"I have faith in your wife, Mr. Butler," Mr. Young said seriously. "She still has much to accomplish in her life, I have no doubt of it," he oddly put Rhett's mind at ease. "Now, your wife has been calling for you, but she still hasn't awoken. I just thought you should know." Rhett suddenly sobbed.

"She is not my Scarlett," he said. "I do not know that woman. I just want the woman I married!" He felt his shoulder being patted.

"We all grow and change," the man said softly. "It is something we have to accept one way or another. Your spoiled young wife has become one of the great ladies the South still takes pride in. It is time for you to accept that or move on."

There it was.

His thoughts and feelings summed up in one simple sentence.

' _Accept it or move on_.'

He knew now, surely, that he could never move on from his Scarlett. He had once offered her a divorce to see her reaction. He even thought he would be able to put her away and move on. They had ended up proving to each other that they could not move on. She had his child, the children of his heart, _and_ his heart.

And he had her daughter.

It was an uneven exchange for their relationship. He thought he could live with it before, but she was too much the spoiled darling who hung onto survival and used him for it. Then he had to live without her, and she had gone and proved that she could, and did, grow up…and had survived without his help.

"Rhett!" He heard her call to him as soon as he entered the house. He rushed toward her side readily soothing her nightmares. He recalled doing this every night of their honeymoon.

Then she had proven she could never love him.

Her sobbing eased with his touch and presence.

"Rhett...I love you," he heard her whisper.

"Say it again!" He demanded. She was sleeping and he felt foolish for demanding it of her as if she were awake.

"I love you Rhett," she said again after a few moments.

His heart soared with her unconscious confession.

He had her love!

* * *

 _Sigh…I love Rhett…if only I could be Scarlett. I promise I'll be his perfect Scarlett!_

 _Anyway…enough with my swooning. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter *nervously bites nails*. I haven't edited it so I'm sorry for any grammatical errors!_

 _Also, I don't think I've said this yet, Thank You all for your reviews (^.^). I love reading them so thank you for posting, and a thank you too for those who choose to like/follow this story (^.^)._

 _Two chapter left for this story! …I'm a little worried about how you all will like my epilogue…_


	8. The Scrimmages

_Sorry about putting up this chapter a day late! …but it's here! Sorry I haven't had the time to edit mostly all the chapter of this story…this chapter is one that is going unedited for grammar…I'm hopeless with punctuation. Semi-colons elude me most of the time, lol…I can only hope I don't have too many run-on sentences either!_

 _Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter! Only one more left with a short epilogue!_

* * *

 _ **The Scrimmages**_

* * *

The next few days passed too slowly for Rhett. Scarlett still had not woken, and but he wetted her lips with broth every few moments like clockwork and never allowed anyone else the task. He completely devoted himself to his wife in that time.

He spent a short amount of time with Bonnie when the women cleaned and bathed Scarlett each day. He thought of the tasks they were doing, and thought that it should be Mammy and Melanie in there helping her.

He sent an express telegram to Atlanta to request their presence if they could make the journey the first day after Scarlett's incident, and sent a regular to her Grandfather.

Dr. Meade assured him that the only reason Scarlett continued to sleep was because her body was full of pain that she would not be able to handle if she were awake. He became reconciled to her condition and found that Scarlett talked in her sleep often, and sometimes even answered questions when he asked. He supposed the times when she did answer she was close to being conscious, but he had to be patient to receive the answers, sometimes she took five minutes before answering.

"Rhett," he heard her whisper. He was studying her stitches on the quilt, she was almost done with sewing her pattern.

"Yes, love?" He answered.

"I love you too," she said. She had never said that warming phrase unless he asked her to say it first. He looked away from the quilt and into her green eyes, and he smiled.

"I love you more," he said. Scarlett smiled.

"I will allow that this time," she said, "but I need to freshen myself up." Rhett laughed and kissed her thoroughly before calling on someone to help her. It had been close to a week that she had been sleeping off the pain, and he was greatly relieved to see her emerald eyes again.

"That smile must mean that the Misses has finally awoken" he heard Mr. Young say. The old man had become a daily fixture in the house. He saw to the daily running of his store, and often checked up on Rhett and Scarlett, and often offered Rhett sage advice. The men were slowly becoming friends.

"Where's ma lam'?" Mammy demanded the next day after Rhett had picked up the Ashley family and Mammy from the train station. The woman had burst into the house and ignored everyone but Rhett when he pointed to her room. Mammy summarily dismissed the man and cried and chastised Scarlett till the younger woman soothed her Mammy. Melanie had calmly followed Mammy and helped soothe the older woman and sent her off to rest after their journey. Rhett stayed in the doorway looking at Scarlett take in Melanie.

She had cried.

"I missed you so much," Scarlett said. "Every day India and me thought about you. I wanted you here with me," Scarlett confessed. "Thank you so much for helping Rhett with Bonnie. I so wanted her to have you in my place." Rhett was greatly relieved he had invited Melanie to do what Scarlett wanted. The two talked for a few minutes before Melanie could barely hold back a yawn. Scarlett apologized for keeping her from her rest and sent her on her way too.

Scarlett smiled at Rhett before looking behind him, "Well, look what my husband dragged in!" She exclaimed with a small laugh.

"Hello, Scarlett," Ashley said softly.

"Why so somber?" Scarlett asked. "I seem to remember a similar look when the war was announced," she said musingly. Both men were surprised that she mentioned the war so casually. "I know I should not be the one to tell you, but it is just so exciting!" She lit up. "You have another brother!"

She talked to him about Joseph Paine, and about India's courtship with the man. India was initially upset that Joseph would not be able to ask for her brother's blessing to marry, but the man consulted with Mr. Golden and Scarlett and both consented in Mr. Wilkes's place.

"Forgive me for being too presumptuous," Scarlett suddenly sobered from her excitement. "I wanted India to be happy, and Joseph really does make her happy."

"Scarlett, I am sorry," Ashley spoke for the first time during Scarlett's rambling.

"For what?" Scarlett asked with some confusion.

"For not setting people straight," he answered. He was going to continue but Scarlett looked about to cry. "I am sorry," he apologized straight away. Rhett wanted to break up their conversation and claim his wife for himself again, but restrained his actions.

"I learned to forgive you for that a few years ago," Scarlett said quietly. "I only hope you can forgive me."

"You have done nothing wrong," Ashley denied.

"I hated you," Scarlett confessed. Rhett's eyes widened, and Ashley blushed and looked away. "You were a constant reminder of the war. You were not the gentleman I expected. You were so _weak_!" Scarlett emphasized. "And I am sorry for ever thinking about that of you. You were my last link to life before the war and I hung onto you with both hands, making all our lives miserable.

"But I loved you because you were my childhood friend. You still are, but now I have come to fully accept what has become of all of us," she looked at Rhett and smiled. "I married my husband because he promised me great fun…I have yet to have fun, but I love him for trying. I love him more for my children. I love Melanie for giving me an example of being a mother to my children, and I fell in love with India because she helped me grow, and accept who I was and am."

After the man left to rest with his wife, Rhett took one look at his pale wife and frowned. He should have seen how much pain she was in earlier.

"No," she said when he reached for the bottled of laudanum.

"You are in pain and this will help," Rhett said. Scarlett still refused.

"I refuse to touch the stuff," she laughed. "Not after the accident." Rhett laughed, but still insisted on her taking the medicine. "It does something odd to me," Scarlett said.

"It will help relieve the pain," Rhett insisted. Scarlett sighed.

"Then you have to keep a close eye on me," Scarlett warned. "I am not joshing; the laudanum affects me differently after the accident." The hairs on the back of his neck rose, and he almost relented his demand, but gave her the spoonful anyway.

"I am warning you, Rhett," Scarlett yawned carefully. "Keep a close eye one me." He quickly agreed to do so. He was going to stay by her side anyway, but this gave him an excuse.

Not halfway through the dose he noticed something curious. Her eyelashes were dark, like her hair used to be, but it seemed they were slowly fading.

"Dr. Meade!" He called quickly. The man rushed into the room and breathed a sigh of relief at his Goddaughter's moving chest.

"Don't scare me like that!" He admonished Rhett.

"Look at her eyelashes," Rhett said.

"What about them?" The doctor said after a moment of observing. He looked a bit longer at Rhett's urging, then looked closer in confusion. "They are fading," he said in astonishment. "It is like her natural color is being replaced!" Her dark eyelashes were quickly losing their color. "Her skin," the doctor gasped. Rhett looked closer and saw how pale it was becoming.

"Scarlett!" He yelled. "Wake up!" He lightly tapped the uninjured side of her face. "Wake up darling," he begged. She finally opened her sleepy eyes and Rhett nearly pulled away in surprise.

She had Bonnie's blue eyes.

"Are you seeing this?" Dr. Meade had to ask.

"What is going on?" Scarlett asked breathily. Her eyes slowly regained their emerald shade the longer she was awake.

"Your eyes," Rhett said. Scarlett smiled sleepily.

"It does odd things," she repeated. "Can I sleep again?" She asked tiredly, closing her eyes.

"Do you feel okay?" He asked.

"Just tired," she answered and slept again.

"What in God's name just happened?" Dr. Meade asked with astonishment.

"She said it affects her oddly," Rhett answered. "I made her take it anyway."

The two men mused over the odd effects the medicine had on Scarlett. The doctor said it had not always been like that, and Rhett agreed. Perhaps being exposed to the medicine topically, mixed with the sun, had altered her body to react to the medicine differently, was Rhett's suggestion, and the doctor agreed it could have been possible. It was curious that the change was permanent though. Dr. Meade took to writing his contacts and friends about the incident and its effects, asking for their own opinions on the matter.

It was while he was drafting a letter when Bishop Bourn had burst his way into their home yelling, "The wagons!" He yelled for the older Mr. Young. "They've been attacked!"

Rhett rushed back to Scarlett's room when he heard her pained cry.

o.O.o

India had taken to riding on the wagon in the morning and early afternoon and walking when she felt their team of oxen were starting to tire. They were near the middle of the train and might have been towards the front if India had been walking faster. Their cart was empty except for the food storage they had taken with them to live on for the next few weeks.

She also couldn't believe she let Scarlett pick this way of travel! Captain Butler would have thought it less suspicious because of all the walking, the work to be done day in and day out, and there was less of a chance of him hearing about the wagons headed toward Texas unless he specifically asked, but it was hard! She was midway through her pregnancy and this much walking had her body swelling in ways she did not know it could swell.

A Mrs. Brough was nearly along in her pregnancy as India, and the woman took to the traveling like an old hat. She also had five children already. India looked up to the woman who never complained once about her difficulties, and India did her best not to complain unless it was something she could not take anymore because of the discomfort.

The morning of their third day, little Rhett had gone down with a fever. India was instructed to keep him rolled in a quilt to draw the fever out. It was not expected to be too serious. He missed his mother so and clung to India in his place.

"Attack!" Someone yelled. "Indians!" The yell for the women and children to be loaded onto the wagons was raised. Wade hurried onto theirs to cover India and Rhett with quilts and food containers.

"Ella!" India screamed. She was not there. She had moved ahead to help Mrs. Brough look after her little ones. Wade only nodded and continued with his task. It took nearly all morning, there were a few scrimmages, but the wagons had moved on from the area.

"We have turned," Joseph said, he was so white with shock and she thought anger too. "We all decided it was best to head back to Ogden for more men and to take a different route."

"Was anyone hurt?" India asked quickly while she helped Wade right the containers and quilts.

"A few here and there. Even some deaths," Joseph answered tensely. "But a few women and children were taken. The extra men are needed for the search party."

"Where is Ella?" India threw herself at him from the wagon. Joseph was quick to catch her, but he only shook his head.

"She is one of the taken," he said hoarsely. "My brother has been in Ogden these past few weeks. I am going to ask him and my nephew to help me search for Ella."

India did her best not to cry around little Rhett. Wade had taken to singing and playing with his brother in place of his sister. Rhett asked for her too many times on their way back and Wade was a good distraction.

They could see the town after a few more days of travel. It was nearing night, but they easily spotted the party waiting for them. A few had ridden ahead to meet them and ask if help was needed for any injured.

The wagons were settled near the edges of the town and the people happily housed the train's travelers where they could find room. India was thankful to be in a bed. Little Rhett was beside her and his fever had not come back, but she still kept him close to make sure it would not.

"I need to speak with Mrs. Paine," she heard a familiar voice. She had not heard the man in a while, but it made her apprehensive.

"My wife is resting," Joseph spoke, she could her the stiltedness in his voice. "Any business you have with her can go through me." She was thankful he was there to shield her.

"I am Dr. Arthur Meade," the man introduced himself. "Katie Scarlett has sent me to give her a letter and I have brought another from her sister." India rushed to grab the letters from the man. "Miss Wilkes!" She heard the doctor exclaim.

"Mrs. Paine," Joseph corrected. India ignored them both and hastily broke the seal on Mellie's letter. Melanie! She had written. And Scarlett! The Captain had found her! Surely she had written under duress to convince her to return. She looked quickly at Joseph and he shared the same telling look with her.

She feigned sickness and leaned on her husband, and he hastily led her back to their room.

"If you would excuse my wife, Doctor," Joseph said pointedly. The doctor only lifted his eyebrow in return.

"You think I would not recognize one of my Goddaughter's 'spells'?" He asked. India tried not to smile at that, but the man was distracted. She covered little Rhett and moved to block him from the man. "Please, read your letters," he reminded her. She hesitated, but did as he asked.

 _Dearest India,_

 _Such happy new that Scarlett has told us on your behalf! I cannot wait to meet my new brother!_

She went on reading with happy tears. A letter from her sister! She hugged it to her chest and wished it was Mellie instead of parchment. She read through Melanie's quick hand, for the letter had been written in haste.

 _I also write to reassure you that Scarlett's injury is getting better, but there has been an accident. She could hardly write her own letter so I am afraid it is too short to completely put your mind at ease, but I assure you Captain Butler did not demand her to write it._

 _Scarlett begged him to wait before he left to meet your wagon train and wrote as quickly as she could in her condition. I do wish she would consent to taking the laudanum._

"Scarlett should not be taking the laudanum!" She almost yelled at the doctor, and briskly tore broke the seal on Scarlett's letter.

 _India,_

 _I hope this note finds you well. The news of the attack on the train was most upsetting. Please bring the children home. I need to see you all._

 _Yours,_

 _Scarlett_

"India." She looked up and took in a quick breath at the man standing in the doorway. Her world tilted for a moment and she leaned into her husband before it righted itself and she reassured herself that she was not dreaming.

"Ashley!" She rushed into her brother's arms. He was like home. She had missed home, and him, and Mellie, and Beau. She did not realize she was crying until he wiped her eyes with his handkerchief like he used to do when she was a child and had fallen and scraped a knee. "So I am to be an Uncle?" He asked looking over her. India nodded and tried to take him in through her tears.

"Oh!" India exclaimed, pulling him further into the room. "Joseph, this is my brother Ashley Wilkes," she said with a sob at the end.

"Shh, darling," Joseph said, gently wiping her tears with Ashley's handkerchief. "I take it we will be traveling back in the morning?" He asked her.

"Scarlett needs to see us," she said with a slight nod. "We will be heading back in the morning," she said to her brother and Dr. Meade. "I need to rest though."

o.O.o

Rhett constantly paced Scarlett's room while most of the town's men left to meet the wagon train that was heading back. Scarlett ignored him and continued working on her quilt while trying not to show how much she hurt. He had been reluctant to let her out of his sight again and kept to her room for meals and only leaving when her Mammy and Melanie were with her to help her bathe or refresh herself.

"They're driving up, Auntie L!" Diana yelled into her room before rushing past it. Scarlett had sat up quickly and gasped at the pain. Rhett had been about to hurry outside, but her gasp stopped him.

"What do you think you are doing?" He asked, hurrying to right her again.

"I need to see them!" Scarlett cried. "India!" She screamed. She could hear small footsteps running through the house and she held her breath.

"Mommy!" Little Rhett called, running straight for her. Scarlett launched herself towards him with a cry of pain and relief, and they both ended up sprawled on the floor, but she held tightly to her baby.

"Mother?" Wade asked, looking down at her oddly. While she fought off her husband's help to get her back into the bed. Rhett kept looking at his son in awe.

"Wade!" Scarlett cried, opening her arms and pulling him down to kiss, hug, and never let go of her babies again. "Where is India?" She asked, expectantly. "And Ella?"

"Scarlett," India laughed. "If I knew you would be this excited to see us!" Scarlett laughed and hugged her sister. "Are you sure you should be out of bed?" India asked, looking at her face. It was green with the nausea caused by the pain.

"Where is Ella?" She asked again. India's face fell, but little Rhett spoke.

"There were Indians, Mama!" He exclaimed. "They took some of my friends!" Scarlett paled even more.

"No!" She whispered, before letting the pain carry her away into its depths. She heard little Rhett's baby voice call to her in fright with India's gasp. She Wade's hands reaching to catch her with her husband's stronger ones and Rhett's yell for Dr. Meade.

She weakly begged not to be injected with the morphine, but she felt the sharp pierce of the needle, the liquid entering under her skin, and her mind being carried into oblivion along with the pain being washed away with the medicine. She looked up pleadingly at her husband's eyes before she gave into Morpheus's induced call.

Rhett felt the tug in his heart as she silently pleaded for him to refuse the morphine for her, but it would relieve the pain. She had almost gone into shock, and Dr. Meade needed to relieve her quickly. He turned to find Scarlett's eyes looking up at him through his son's face.

"Your Mama is going to be fine," he said softly, reaching to feel the baby softness of his cheek. Little Rhett pulled away and hid behind his older brother's trousers. Wade held his brother tightly into his side and covered his ears.

"I will not let you hurt my family anymore," he hissed, glaring up at his step-father. "Let's go find Michael and play jacks for a little while," Wade suggested, after uncovering his brother's ears. He turned to glare back at the older man who seemed a bit lost.

The son of his heart had grown up. The man-child was nearing fourteen and Rhett had not taught him anything he had wanted to, things he had planned upon marrying Scarlett. She had robbed him of those opportunities, he robbed himself of them too.

They were where they stood now because he wanted fun with Scarlett more than he wanted her to grow up.

He was Peter Pan, and she his darling Wendy.

His family had grown up without him.

* * *

 _Sorry this chapter is shorter than all the others._

 _So…I'm not sure why I put in Scarlett's weird reaction to the laudanum, but I kind of wanted to scare Rhett, just to remind him again that neither he nor Scarlett are infallible in any circumstances._

 _I am going to do my best to remember to put up the last chapter by Friday!_

 _I hope you all enjoyed this chapter!_


	9. The End

_Last Chapter! Soo...the epilogue towards the end may be too short, but no less satisfying…I hope!_

 _I didn't get to express everything I wanted to in this story, and I think sometimes it shows, but I hope you've all enjoyed it just the same (^.^')_

* * *

 _ **The End.**_

* * *

He stared at her pale skin through the darkness of the room, and could make out the fading bruise above her temple. He carefully leaned into her to lay a light kiss on the injury. He was still accepting that Scarlett, _his_ Scarlett, was right here before him.

She had become the great lady she always wanted to be, like her mother and Melanie Wilkes.

But she did not boast it like he had expected of her. She was grace and beauty with a humbleness he never expected from her. She demurred to him when it was appropriate, but was still fierce when it was needed.

She was _his lady_.

He struggled to leave her side, but his daughter needed him. He was scared that she would abandon him, that they would try to take her away from him again. He had seen the man, Bourn, with his horse at the ready. It distracted him from Bonnie in that one crucial moment.

He kissed her one last time before leaving her side and grabbing his hat and pistols. She was too injured to be moved nor could she move very far on her own and would still be there when he got back. These thoughts both pained and comforted him.

He and Mr. Wilkes caught up to the search party after a few days. The men were ready to give up and Rhett would not have that. He quickly took charge of the tired men and organized them in a manner he had learned from the war. It was efficient and they got things done quicker.

The Indians were spotted two days later in a cave in the mountains. There were five feathered men guarding the cave, and they could hear the echoes of crying from the little ones.

He rubbed his chest thinking about how scared his little Ella must be.

They observed the cave all day until night fell and the campfire went out. The few scouts he sent out had relayed that they were the only ones there, and Rhett figured that they were taking a longer route to meet up with the rest of their people. Wilkes agreed with him, along with a man who allowed Rhett to uproot him from the position of leader. He had his pistols at the ready, but the same man stopped him.

"We mustn't kill," he warned. "They are usually a peaceful people toward us. I don't understand why they have done this." Rhett glared, but knew he had to keep the peace between these people, or what peace was left between them.

It was tough for the other men, but quick. Rhett had all the men tied up before they could sound an alarm to wake up their fellow thieves. A boy with feathers peeked out of the cave but didn't make a move to stop him and Rhett started back.

"I don't see why he brought us if he could do just as well as ten of us!" He heard one of his men whisper.

"Do you not know who that is?" Another asked. "He is the Goliath who uprooted four of Young's trees! All on his own!" The other men seemed to hold him in high regard after the story spread.

The women and children were quickly recovered while another man chatted with the young Indian boy. He was becoming more worried when he didn't see his daughter among the faces. Had they split up their prisoners? Did they take some with them straight back to their camp?

He had heard the stories of what the roughest tribes had done to their prisoners. That fate could not have befallen his little Ella. His sweetest little girl he had watched grow in her mother's womb and wished so much that she was his.

"Daddy?" He turned to see her frightened eyes. His baby was all grown like his son. He had her in his arms in one stride and was kissing her little face and hair. She had lost her baby scent years ago, but he could still recall it and imagined her lavender scent was the scent she had lost.

"Ella, Ella my little angel," he laughed as he spun with her in his arms. She smiled and kissed his cheek with her familiar little giggle, though it was a little more mature now. "You are not hurt?" He asked looking her over.

"No," she shook her head. "He protected me when they took the others," she pointed out the feathered boy. He was about Wade's age, maybe a year or two younger, blond, nearly brown hair, but with dark skin burned by the sun.

"There are more of you?" Rhett asked. They would have to look for them after returning the large group of women and children.

"No," Ella said with tears. Her mother's eyes looked back at him with so much fright he promised himself he would never allow her to face something that would scare her so again. He held her tighter as they rode away.

The women and children needed to rest after a few long hours of riding, but Rhett wanted to keep going until they reached the safety of Ogden. He convinced them to keep going until the sky lightened so they could keep watch more easily, and the men agreed with his reasoning.

They set up an open camp a few hours later. A few of the younger children had started fussing too much because of the long ride so Rhett relented and helped spread out quilts to sleep on. The sky was not too dark, and he picked a few men to help him keep the first watch.

He refused to let his daughter leave his arms, even for a moment in this wilderness. He paced with her sleeping in his arms, and he quietly sang to her like he did when she was such a wee little thing.

"You'll wear yourself out faster," one of the men, Mr. Brough, said.

"I have not seen my daughter for five years," Rhett replied. "I nearly gave up hope that I would ever get to see her again, to hold her and sing to her till she slept. She is grown, and I have missed most of her childhood."

"She will never get rid of you," Wilkes laughed softly. "I am afraid you will shoot at every one of her suitors." Rhett glared at the man.

"No one is good enough for my little girl," he said. The two men laughed, but he was serious and they knew it. He kept his daughter on his chest while he rested when it was his time. He used to sneak into the nursery and hold her like this while she slept and he dozed in the rocking chair.

He wanted to get back to his family as fast as he could. He had everyone rest when the children's complaints became too much, and most of the party slept for three hours before they were roused to move on again. They rode through most of the second night until they reached Ogden the midmorning of the second day. Everyone was safely reunited with their families and Rhett had earned the respect of most of the people.

"You were a hard taskmaster but everyone was found and returned faster than we had planned," Mr. Brough said. "I thank you for that."

They would not let him leave until he rested and agreed to accompany a few families back to Salt Lake. He warned them that the ride would be the same because he wanted to get back to his own family as soon as he could, but they were firm in wanting him to accompany them back.

As promised, Rhett continued to ride through the night with the moon as their only source of light, and slept as little as possible when the young children needed it, but they arrived back quickly.

It was nearly three hours' past midnight when he arrived back at Scarlett's side. He offered some of the spare rooms in the house to his group, and somehow, they all fit in there. He paused in the doorway of Scarlett's bedroom to see their children sleeping in her bed.

"Ella?" Wade was awake and watching him. Rhett gently laid his sleeping daughter next to her little brother and sat at the foot of the bed watching his family. He kissed his oldest son's hand before settling at his family's feet and letting his exhaustion claim him.

He woke to his Scarlett's fingers memorizing his face. He caught her hand and laid a lingering kiss on her wrist before opening his eyes.

"You moved," he said. "You should not be doing that."

"It smarts, to be sure," Scarlett said, "but every bit of this pain is worth having my family together."

' _For now,_ ' went unsaid but he understood.

"I am never leaving your side again, Scarlett," Rhett promised. "I do not care if people talk because I uproot the whole family to leave for even one day of business, but I am keeping you with me till God sees fit to strike me down."

"Promise?" Scarlett whispered.

"Oh, I promise," he said sincerely, "and this time it is a promise I will not offer to renege."

o.O.o

The light was nearly breaking through the darkness when they stepped onto the platform. The city would still be sleeping until the sun peeked into their windows. She did not realize how stuffy the air felt till she was back home. She wanted to walk and enjoy the buildings before seeing her second Tara.

She talked quietly with the man at her side and discussed the changes she saw in her surroundings. They found a small church that she would attend every Sunday. The small group was reluctant to accept her, but she handed their Bishop a note and he fully welcomed the family into his small flock. Scarlett never fully joined that church. She celebrated with them, welcomed them into her home, chatted with them in the streets, and became a part of their sewing circle, and they still accepted her.

"So it is _you_ ," Mrs. Merriwether spat. Scarlett's eyes flared at the woman and Rhett felt his heart beat faster.

"Good morning, Mrs. Merriwether," Scarlett greeted politely. The older woman must have been out of shape. She merely looked at Scarlett's plain white dress and bonnet, and oddly, a white veil. It made her look angelic. The woman wanted to cast her down and dirty her attire to show how stained her soul truly was.

"It was," the woman said tersely.

"Hmm," Scarlett agreed with her soft voice, "I used to enjoy mornings. Now I find myself longing for the clear air of the mountains." Rhett could see that his wife looked a bit peaky. "I do like the city," she continued, "but I miss my sewing circle back home." She looked surprised that she realized this, and looked up at her husband.

"It seems that we are considering letting go of our house on Peachtree street," Rhett said to the older woman.

"Are we really?" Scarlett asked as they walked away. Mrs. Merriwether put off her visit to follow the couple. Should she overhear a juicy bit of gossip to spread, it should be something that would blacken the younger woman even more.

"You miss the mountains and your friends," Rhett said.

"I do," Scarlett agreed. "The city air is not as breathable as the mountains. I find myself breathing harder for some reason." She coughed into a handkerchief and lightly blushed with her apology.

 _Apology_! The hoyden never spoke an apology to anyone!

"Then we shall sell our Tara, and purchase a smaller home for the summer season," Rhett said. "We will build our home again in Salt Lake."

"The businesses," Scarlett protested. Mrs. Merriwether nearly crowed with joy at her protest. "The store is for Ella to inherit from Frank, and Wade will get the lumber company," she said, and sighed. "I suppose you can see to them from the mountains, just as well as you have been from Atlanta," she reasoned with herself, and Mrs. Merriwether's jaw almost dropped to her knees.

"And you can freely discuss quilting stitches with Mrs. Tilden as much as your heart desires," Rhett said.

"Hmm," Scarlett said. "She is a very talented milliner. I cannot believe I let you both talk me out of my mourning clothes," Scarlett said. "I feel odd in this wardrobe you had her make."

"A small revenge, my love," Rhett laughed. "For having the dresses I originally intended for _you_ made for Bonnie instead."

"I did not need the new dresses when I had perfectly fine dresses that had many years of wear left to them!" Scarlett protested again.

"Very fine _black_ dresses that had faded to grey with use," he pointed out.

"That were still useful," Scarlett said stubbornly.

"They were _mourning_ clothes!" Rhett almost raged in public.

"I _was_ in mourning," Scarlett whispered. "I had lost my husband and daughter in one night and feared losing my son. I could not lose him too." Rhett stopped walking and lifted his wife's chin.

"You regained your husband and daughter in one day," he reminded her. "And you still continued wearing those dresses!"

"Because they still had use!" Scarlett insisted, and Rhett laughed.

"I do love your stubbornness," he said softly.

"Just as I love your need to steam roll me," Scarlett said with a slight roll of her eyes.

"But you still love me," he said.

"Hmm, yes I do love you," she smiled. He bent to quickly kiss her lips before they entered their gate.

"Good day, Mrs. Merriwether," Rhett called to the stunned woman.

"Oh Rhett, you tease!" Scarlett accused.

"But you love my teasing!" He protested.

"Well, I do, but," Scarlett paused with a familiar flare in her eyes. "You tease!" She laughed.

"You love it!" He reminded her.

"I do love it, and I love you," Scarlett quickly pulled him down to kiss him before their front door was closed by Mammy who only smiled and shook her head.

 _ **A Few Years Later**_

Rhett glared at Mr. Eldon Young as he stared back at Rhett with wide eyes. He considered running for the door, but that would only prove his incompetence, so he bravely stood his ground.

"You will love only my daughter and the children you will have together," he said threateningly. "You will respect her and your children. Your eyes will not stray from her. If you find you cannot provide for her for some reason, then you will come to me," he ordered. "You will hold her and sing to her at night just as you will your future children. Do I make myself clear?" he vaguely heard Scarlett laugh and Ella's protest.

"Y-yes sir," he stuttered. "Of course sir."

"Keep in mind that I can now uproot ten trees." Rhett dismissed him from his study and sat down heavily into his desk chair while nursing a brandy.

"You scared that young man right good Captain," India called into the room while laughing.

"Ella loves him," Scarlett said when he left his study not too soon after. Rhett looked over at his blushing daughter.

"I love her more," he said. He went and lifted his daughter off of his favorite armchair and sat her in his lap.

"Daddy!" Ella protested, blushing even more. Rhett ignored her and pulled her head onto his shoulder while he sang.

"I refused to let the Indians keep my baby girl, but yet I have to let that boy take you away?" He asked.

"I love him, Daddy," Ella said, opening her eyes. Rhett's lips thinned but he gave her a reluctant nod. "Why did Jane have it easy when Wade wanted to marry her?" She pouted.

"You think _I_ had it easy?" Jane asked. "Wade was practically handed my father's blessing, while _your_ father had me bake eight apple pies that had to taste _exactly_ like your mother's! It took me twenty pies to realize that she uses a pinch of ginger!"

"Is that all?" Ella laughed.

"Is that all?" Jane screeched. "I then had to cook Wade's favorite dishes exactly like your mother, and it took me five whole chickens to realize your mom uses cinnamon as one of her spices!" Rhett could only laugh at the young woman who was carrying his first grandchild. She growled at him and threw herself into a seat with a pout.

"I love you too, Jane!" Rhett barked out while he continued laughing. "Good choice, son!" He tilted his head at Wade. "She is nearly as spoiled as your mother was," he said fondly while looking at Scarlett. "And heaven knows I love her dearly for it." Scarlett blushed while she knitted a pair of little white socks above her swollen belly.

He loved keeping her pregnant with his children. He was sad that this child would be their last. Scarlett was having a harder time with this child then she had with their others. Dr. Golden and Dr. Meade warned him that Scarlett would have a rough delivery.

Scarlett was a bit frightened with her pregnancy. She loved having her children and nursed every child she had after young Rhett. This time it felt different though, she wanted to keep it to herself and made the doctors keep it to themselves, but she thought she might be having more than one child.

The possibility was both frightening and joyful because she was creating more beautiful children with her Rhett, and her home was full of happiness and laughter. She felt a small tug on her skirts and looked down to see her little Caroline's hands covered in chocolate and leaving behind a brown stain on her white dress.

"I do wish you would stop conspiring with Betty on my wardrobe colors," Scarlett frowned at Rhett while he laughed and lifted up his daughter. Scarlett stood up after finishing the second sock and looked up at Rhett in surprise.

"Scarlett?" He asked when she grabbed his arm for support.

"Please get me to the bedroom," Scarlett said breathily. Rhett smirked at his wife and tried to walk with her.

"I cannot move," she said. "The baby's head is crowning." He paused before lifting her up and running to their bedroom while calling for the doctors, India, and Melanie. Mrs. Golden and Jane tempted the children outside with the promise of a game.

Rhett had Scarlett settled in their bed in time to catch his son as he slipped out of his mother. Scarlett was panting, but she had never looked more beautiful. Melanie cleaned and bathed the baby and Rhett's eyes never left him. He counted ten little fingers and ten little toes, before another cry surprised him. He turned to see Dr. Meade handing his daughter to India to be bathed.

Twins!

His dear Scarlett had given him twins! He kissed her tired face and watched as she fed them their first meal. He could not help but feel pleased and satisfied at the sight. Scarlett sang to their youngest while he listened, and he could not get enough of her voice to quench the thirst he had for listening to her sweet music.

She had been cleaned and was resting when he was allowed back into the room after being thrown out by the women. He laid down beside her and held her while he sang.

"I love you my darling Rhett," she whispered.

"I love you too my sweet Scarlett," he answered.

 _His heart was full_.

* * *

 _I have to apologise for putting up this last chapter so late as I promised this past Friday(?) and life happened. A sad part of life (t_t). But I am putting it up now that I have a chance, but again…no grammar checks…it's an Exam week for me again so my planned schedule will not allow me but a few moments to log into my account and put up this last chapter._

 _I hope you all enjoyed it, though you may have felt some reactions weren't properly expressed before I moved on…that's totally my fault because I didn't know how to express them and had to move on before I lost my train of thought and I haven't gone back to elaborate on those parts. I'm not sure when I will get another chance to do so._

 _Again, thank you all for your reviews, I love(d) reading them, and thank you for favouriting/following this story (^.^)_


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